Digitizing heritage

3D Mapping program with the theme "The Quintessence of Confucianism" at the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

On November 28, 2025, the Government issued Decree No. 308/2025/ND-CP detailing a number of articles and measures to organize and guide the implementation of the Law on Cultural Heritage (Decree 308). The outstanding new point of Decree 308 is to promote the digitalization of heritage, adapting to the requirements of the national digital transformation, contributing to the preservation and promotion of heritage values in the new period.

Identify “bottlenecks”

Cultural heritage preserved through many generations is considered as "spiritual treasures", an important resource contributing to socio-economic development. In recent times, despite remarkable efforts, the digitization of cultural heritage in Vietnam still faces many challenges, making the preservation and promotion of values not as effective as expected.

On October 8, 2022, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg approving the Program for Digitizing Vietnamese Cultural Heritage for the 2021-2030 period, with the goal of digitizing 100% of tangible and intangible cultural heritages, museums and documentary heritages. However, up to now, the implementation progress in some units is still slow, due to many barriers in infrastructure, management, statistics and archiving work still mainly depends on traditional paper records, human resources and funding.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien, Heritage expert (Hanoi National University) pointed out that: Each locality has thousands of heritages, and to digitize a heritage requires a lot of effort, money, and time. While the budget for digitization projects in the provinces is small, a project can last for decades, leading to scattered heritage data, making it difficult to look up and share. Many valuable documents are at risk of degradation and loss due to physical aging or natural disasters. On the other hand, the lack of a mechanism to manage digital data copyright has led to illegal copying, reducing the commercial value of heritage.

Each locality has thousands of heritages, and to digitize a heritage requires a lot of effort, money, and time. While the budget for digitization projects in the provinces is small, a project can last for decades, leading to scattered heritage data, making it difficult to search and share. Many valuable documents are at risk of degradation and loss due to physical aging or natural disasters. On the other hand, the lack of a mechanism to manage digital data copyright has led to illegal copying, reducing the commercial value of heritage.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien, Heritage expert (Hanoi National University)

In addition, limited human resources in both quantity and ability to adapt to new technology are also a major barrier. Vietnam does not have a separate training major on “digital heritage”, the staff are mainly experts in heritage research or traditional management, lacking technological skills.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Trong Duong (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) analyzed: “The digitalization of our heritage is still just a combination of human resources between the two fields of research and technology. Meanwhile, in the world today, there are many training departments on digital heritage that are opening up very strongly. They train people 2 in 1, both understanding culture and knowing about technology. Only with such a systematic training method can we have a team of human resources, digital humanists to serve the work of digitalizing heritage in the future.”

Recently, the special national relic Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam has been evaluated as a bright spot in the work of digitizing heritage. Sharing her unit's experience, Ms. Nguyen Lien Huong, Deputy Director of the Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities of Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, said: "We realize that the application of information technology and digital transformation is a golden opportunity to carry out the task of managing, preserving and promoting the value of the relic."

Specifically, the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam promotes the application of technology and digital transformation such as: digitizing documents, artifacts and tour systems; building a 3D digital database combined with cultural-historical research, digitizing ancient patterns on artifacts and architectural items to design unique souvenir products, meeting the diverse needs of tourists, especially international visitors and young people...

However, Ms. Nguyen Lien Huong also pointed out major barriers to the unit's digital transformation, in addition to the problem of lack of synchronous infrastructure and the fear of change of some officers and employees.

Sharing the same view, Professor, Dr. Tu Thi Loan, former Acting Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, emphasized that digital transformation in culture is not simply "digitizing" or "putting it online", but rather transforming the mindset of preserving, receiving, organizing, and developing new forms of communication and expression in digital space.

Opening the "window" for Vietnamese heritage

Decree 308 is expected to remove bottlenecks and open the "digital door" for Vietnamese heritage to promote its value in the new context. According to the Decree, the content of digital transformation of cultural heritage includes: building, managing, maintaining, operating, and exploiting digital platforms, information systems to manage the national database on cultural heritage; building sets of digital data standards; creating digital data to serve the communication and promotion of cultural heritage in the electronic environment.

The National History Museum has launched a 3D virtual interactive exhibition. (Screenshot)

Decree 308 requires the digitization, storage, exploitation and use of data on cultural heritage to be carried out uniformly from the central to local levels, with respect and cooperation from relevant agencies, organizations and individuals; prioritizing the use of open source technology and domestic software.

The new highlight is the strong change in thinking and operating methods, according to which heritage must be digitized from records and documents to the application of digital technology in conservation and appraisal, aiming at the goal of the community having equal opportunities in accessing heritage.

The Decree also details requirements for the management and operation of national digital data on cultural heritage (Article 88), creating a legal corridor for synchronous digitalization of heritage and contributing to thoroughly resolving security risks, while ensuring the integrity and rights of owners or managers of heritage.

Experts assess that Decree 308 is a strategic step forward, helping Vietnamese heritage move from passive preservation to active promotion through digitalization. Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) affirmed: "Digital transformation contributes to improving the effectiveness of state management, protecting and promoting the value of cultural heritage, and at the same time promoting sustainable development".

In order to promote the effectiveness of heritage digitization, Dr. Ban Tuan Nang (Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics) analyzed: Digitizing cultural heritage is not a short-term task. It requires a long-term strategy and inter-sectoral coordination. To achieve the goal, a fundamental strategy is needed and several immediate issues need to be addressed.

First of all, it is necessary to build a national database on Vietnamese cultural heritage. This must be a unified platform with common technical standards, interconnected between ministries, branches and localities. Each cultural heritage needs a "digital identification code". There needs to be a long-term plan for training digital human resources in the cultural field. Cultural, art schools and museums need to open new majors in conservation technology, digitalization and cultural data management.

In addition, it is necessary to encourage technology enterprises to participate as strategic partners. Issue mechanisms to encourage socialization and public-private cooperation. In this field, the State plays a guiding role and builds standards, while enterprises can take on the role of technology, platform, and communication. Many countries have proven that when the private sector participates, the digitalization process will be faster and more sustainable.

Identify “bottlenecks”

Opening the "window" for Vietnamese heritage

Comment (0)