Leaving the Viet Nam National Museum of History (Site 2) at No.216 Tran Quang Khai Street in Hoan Kiem ward, Ha Noi, Nataliia Ushenko, a 60-year-old Russian visitor, expressed some regret that Site 1 at No.1 Trang Tien Street is temporarily closed for renovation. She said she had visited the site years ago to learn about Viet Nam’s history and, on returning, had hoped to explore the building’s architecture in greater detail.
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The octagonal entrance hall and its multi-tiered roof at the Viet Nam National Museum of History (Photo: Viet Nam National Museum of History) |
“I still remember walking through the veranda and entering the octagonal hall, with its high tiled roof and multiple overlapping roof tiers above. The exhibition rooms took me through different periods of Viet Nam’s history. The building made me curious about how a museum could be designed in such a distinctive, multifunctional architectural style,” Ushenko said.
The Viet Nam National Museum of History building is an architectural work designed by architects Ernest Hébrard and Charles Batteur and completed in 1932. Originally, it housed the Louis Finot Museum, which belonged to the French School of the Far East.
The building combines multiple cultural influences. Its octagonal entrance hall and stylized roof-supporting beams reflect Eastern architectural traditions, while its prominent overlapping roofs evoke traditional Vietnamese communal houses. Beyond the entrance lies the octagonal hall beneath the building’s highest roof. From here, visitors can access exhibition areas on either side, while a main row of rooms extends deep into the building behind the hall. Beneath the exhibition areas is a ground-floor level used for storage and artifact restoration.
According to architect Vu Hiep, a lecturer at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environment at the University of Transport and Communications, the building’s value lies in its combination of Western and Eastern architecture. The museum’s spatial layout followed Western architectural principles, while its architectural form bore distinctly Vietnamese characteristics. These elements have been combined and adapted to Viet Nam’s climate, giving the building its distinctive character.
After nearly a century, the building has become part of Ha Noi’s urban memory and continues to preserve numerous historically significant artifacts relating to Viet Nam. Through experiential activities, the museum has brought the historical and architectural values of the building closer to the public.
Since late 2025, the Viet Nam National Museum of History (Site 1) on Trang Tien Street has been undergoing a major renovation. The project focuses on restoring the architecture, upgrading technical infrastructure, modernizing the interior and exhibition equipment, and improving the outdoor landscape. This comprehensive upgrade aims to optimize artifact preservation, enhance the visitor experience, and safeguard the building’s heritage values in their entirety.
Translated by Quynh Oanh