Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Van Huy, Director of the Nguyen Van Huyen Museum, said that Lai Xa, renowned for its 120-year photography tradition, is now facing the risk of losing its collective memory. Countless family photographs, particularly portraits of fallen soldiers, have been lost or damaged due to wars, natural disasters, poor housing conditions, and unplanned relocations. However, a crucial factor lies in the lack of technical understanding of photo preservation.
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Visitors at the Lai Xa Photography Museum in Hoai Duc commune, Hanoi |
Huy said that the preservation project was launched in Lai Xa on September 12, 2025 by the Hanoi Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, Lai Xa Photography Museum, and Nguyen Van Huyen Museum, with the first phase focusing on researching, documenting, and safeguarding memorial heritage, especially the photographic archives of fallen soldiers. The project team has so far visited 44 families of fallen soldiers, collecting stories, cataloguing, and digitizing photo collections from 39 households, while also conducting workshops to share knowledge on photo preservation with local residents.
The story of Lai Xa reflects broader challenges in community heritage preservation and underscores the role of museums as bridges between professional expertise and local communities. Conservation work is not only the museum’s duty alone but also a two-way process that builds a sustainable museum – community ecosystem, according to Huy. When museums demonstrate professional competence and genuine respect for heritage, communities will respond with trust, sharing archival materials and memorabilia for consultation and digitization, thereby enriching the national heritage collection.
Experts from the Hanoi Museum and the American Museum of Natural History shared their knowledge and experience in archival photo conservation, preservation of paper-based artifacts and photographs held within the community of Lai Xa village.
Running from October 15-17, the workshop enhances professional expertise while strengthening the network between museums and archives, contributing to the collective effort of preserving Vietnam’s historical memory.
Source: VNA