Bringing history closer to the public.

A tour guide from the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board introduces the artifacts on display at the relic site.

We first visited the Hoa Lo Prison historical site with a delegation from the Dien Bien Provincial Journalists Association on a day at the end of July. Despite the heavy rain that had been falling in Hanoi for several days, the site was still crowded with visitors, mostly young people and international tourists. The Hoa Lo Prison Management Board enthusiastically welcomed our group and gave us a brief overview of the site before we began our tour. According to them, Hoa Lo Prison was where the French colonialists imprisoned tens of thousands of Vietnamese patriotic and revolutionary fighters from all over the northern provinces. Hoa Lo Prison is not only a testament to the sacrifice and unwavering fighting spirit of Vietnamese revolutionary fighters against the enemy, but also an indictment of the barbaric prison regime of the French colonialists. On June 18, 1997, Hoa Lo Prison was recognized as a national historical site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Before starting the tour, we, like many other tour groups, were given earphones connected to the tour guide's system. This wasn't new, but it was quite unusual for tourists from Northwest Vietnam like us. Accompanying our group was tour guide Phan Thi Kim Oanh – a young woman from Hanoi with a bright smile and an engaging voice. At each stop, the guide asked the group to stand in a line so we could observe the artifacts and listen to the detailed explanations more clearly. It was then that we realized the effectiveness of the earphones, especially in the cramped, dark space of the former French colonial prisons. With this device, the guide didn't have to speak too loudly, avoiding disturbing other tourists. We could also clearly hear every moving introduction throughout the tour of the historical site. Upon closer observation, we saw that tourists, especially international visitors, also had earphones. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that these were automated audio guides in multiple languages, intended for individual visitors. Simply wear the device, go to the numbered points within the historical site, and press the corresponding number on the device to receive a detailed explanation.

Visitors experience the automated audio guide system at the Hoa Lo Prison historical site.

Concluding our emotionally charged tour, our group sat down with the Management Board of the historical site to learn about the innovative and engaging approaches that have recently become a sensation among young people. According to the Hoa Lo Prison Historical Site Management Board, to enhance visitor experience, they have upgraded the permanent exhibition system. Specifically, they have developed exhibition guides tailored to different age groups; historical content is conveyed to visitors through the narrator's stories, combined with lively and appropriate sound effects. To create a unique experience, they actively explore and innovate presentation methods, enhancing the hands-on experience in thematic exhibitions with rich content and themes related to historical events and important national holidays. Interactive activities are increasingly incorporated into thematic exhibitions, supporting and increasing visitor experience and promoting the image of the historical site. The Hoa Lo Prison Relic's media team has been very creative in its presentation, incorporating witty riddles, song lyrics, and illustrative images with seemingly dry historical information. As a result, the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Facebook page currently has 337,000 likes and 400,000 followers. Since 2019, the Hoa Lo Prison Relic has implemented an automated audio guide system for visitors. With this device, visitors can experience 35 historical stories firsthand, told by former political prisoners about the hardships of life in prison.

What makes visiting Hoa Lo Prison Relic particularly captivating are the hands-on experiences and reenactments of historical events related to the exhibits. Regularly on Friday and Saturday evenings, Hoa Lo Prison Relic hosts the "Sacred Night" program. From the script to the experiences, everything is created and implemented by the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board, under the direction of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports. "Sacred Night" is an emotional, multi-sensory journey, themed "Sacred Night 2: Living Like Flowers" and "Sacred Night 3: The Flame of Youth." Both programs last 120 minutes. The "Sacred Night" journey is guided by the expressive narration of the tour guide, combined with vivid sound and lighting effects, realistic reenactments taking place right at the Relic site, and unique experiences, providing visitors with unforgettable memories. The sacred night allows visitors to truly feel the pain, sacrifice, and loss of the political prisoners at Hoa Lo Prison, of their forefathers; each visitor feels that the difficulties and pressures of daily life seem small and become lighter.

Some images from the program "Sacred Night 2: The Flame of Youth". Source: Hoa Lo Prison Historical Site.

Through sharing from the leaders of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board, we were very surprised to learn that the Sacred Night program is currently receiving a lot of love and registrations from tourists. Currently, all slots for the Sacred Night experience in August are already booked. If you want to experience it, you will have to wait until the beginning of September to register.

Through innovative displays and presentations, along with maximizing the effectiveness of social media, the Hoa Lo Prison Relic has truly become a fascinating source of historical lessons and an impressive destination for both domestic and international tourists. According to statistics from the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board, in 2023, the unit welcomed over 600,000 visitors, generating revenue exceeding 14 billion VND. On average, the relic receives nearly 2,000 domestic and international visitors daily.

Visitors' impressions after experiencing the night tour and the "Sacred Night 2: The Flame of Youth" program. Source: Hoa Lo Prison Historical Site

Looking at those results, we secretly think that, with historical tourism being one of the three main pillars of tourism in Dien Bien, the innovative approaches of the Hoa Lo Prison historical site are valuable experiences worth learning from. Although we know our province still faces many difficulties, there are many historical sites and stories that could be used to create similar programs like "Sacred Night at Hoa Lo Prison." Along with that, we need to strengthen communication on digital platforms, especially by maximizing the advantages of social media like Facebook, Zalo, and TikTok. If we can do that, Dien Bien's historical sites will be even more successful in bringing history closer to the public, especially young people, contributing to the stronger development of tourism in the province in the future.

Source: https://baodienbienphu.com.vn/tin-uc/du-lich/217408/di-tich-nha-tu-hoa-lo-dua-lich-su-den-gan-hon-voi-cong-chung