To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the renaming of Saigon - Gia Dinh city to Ho Chi Minh City (July 2, 1976 - July 2, 2026), a series of activities were organized as a trial run to develop nighttime cultural tourism products, gradually building museums into attractive urban destinations.
The museum is "awakened" by art.
One of the highlights is the "Connecting Heritage" Week, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Museum in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theatre from June 27th to July 5th. For the first time, the museum will be open continuously until 9 PM, allowing the public to visit during hours that were previously unavailable.
Within the museum space, visitors can not only learn about the more than 300-year history of the city's formation and development, explore the theme "Ho Chi Minh City - 50 Years of Honor and Pride in Bearing the Name of Uncle Ho," but also directly participate in activities such as decorating pottery, painting conical hats with artisans, and enjoying theatrical performances showcasing Southern Vietnamese heritage. These activities are arranged into a seamless experiential journey, allowing viewers to observe, interact with, and experience the heritage through multiple senses.
According to Ms. Doan Thi Trang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, the program is a trial run to assess actual needs before considering the formation of a long-term cultural night program. “Notably, the museum doesn't simply view this as extending opening hours, but aims to change how the public accesses the museum. Instead of just viewing artifacts, each person can participate in experiential activities, meet artists and artisans, and connect with the historical and cultural stories of the city,” Ms. Trang stated. According to the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, the ultimate goal is to transform the museum into a new cultural meeting place, a repository of urban memories, but also a space for community connection through heritage values.
In conjunction with the program, the Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theatre has developed an art program titled "Heritage Connecting the Quintessence," lasting approximately 30 minutes, showcasing traditional Southern Vietnamese art forms through theatrical performances. Mr. Hoang Tan, Head of the Performance Organization Department at the Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theatre, stated that the model is still in the testing phase. The organizing committee will continue to listen to audience feedback to refine the program, aiming to connect with travel businesses to bring tourists, especially international visitors, to experience the region more frequently.
While the Ho Chi Minh City Museum chooses to tell its history and culture through theatrical performances, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts experiments with incorporating music into heritage spaces. The Museumoon series is designed as a new model for art appreciation. Visitors don't just come to the museum to see exhibitions; they can tour the galleries before performances and then immerse themselves in themed musical evenings. The ancient architecture, the artworks, and the music combine to create a multi-sensory experience, distinct from traditional stage performances.
Accordingly, the "Viet Anh - Untold Stories" concert, which took place at the end of June 2026, was Museumoon's second program, following the success of the "Waves of Self-Reflection" concert. A representative from the organizing unit stated that the project aims to create a unique artistic product for the museum, where music, memories, and heritage spaces resonate to create new emotions for the audience.
Mr. Tran Minh Cong, Deputy Director in charge of operations and management of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, said that in the coming time, the unit will continue to organize chamber music concerts and many other artistic activities, gradually forming a series of regular experiences for the public. In early July, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, in coordination with the Bong Sen National Folk Music and Dance Theatre, organized two special art programs to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh City…
Developing nighttime cultural tourism products.
In fact, many museums around the world have long become attractive evening destinations by combining exhibitions with art performances, projection technology, or experiential activities. Ho Chi Minh City's beginning to experiment with similar models shows a new approach to utilizing heritage spaces, bringing museums closer to contemporary life.
Extending museum opening hours stems not only from the need to innovate museum operations but also aligns with the city's cultural and tourism development orientation. Speaking with Văn Hóa (Culture) magazine , Mr. Nguyễn Minh Nhựt, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, stated that the cultural sector is guiding museums to gradually organize nighttime activities to better serve residents and tourists. Initially, the city is choosing the full moon night of each month to pilot a series of activities called "Museum Moon," thereby fostering a sense of community where each museum offers unique nighttime experiences.
According to Mr. Nhut, museums should not only function as repositories and display centers for artifacts but should also become cultural experience spaces where the public can interact with heritage in various ways. Extending operating hours also aims to meet the needs of diverse groups of visitors, especially those busy during the day or tourists who have already spent time visiting other destinations.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the city will not impose a fixed model but will encourage units to boldly experiment with various forms. These could include tea-drinking programs combined with traditional folk music, performing arts, themed activities, or products specifically designed for different groups of visitors. After the experimentation process, each museum will gradually define its unique offerings, contributing to the diversification of nighttime cultural activities.
Opening museums at night may not immediately create the same level of appeal as familiar entertainment options, but it's a significant step in expanding cultural opportunities for both locals and tourists. More importantly, this new approach demonstrates a shift in the operational mindset of cultural institutions. Museums are no longer solely for group tours or educational activities; they are gradually becoming open spaces where the public can meet, appreciate art, explore heritage, and experience culture in more accessible ways.
In the context of Ho Chi Minh City aiming to develop the cultural industry into a key economic sector, the creation of unique nighttime cultural products will contribute to extending the length of tourists' stays, increasing their spending on cultural activities, and adding vitality to the urban landscape after the city lights up.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/mo-rong-khong-gian-van-hoa-ve-dem-241935.html
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