Expediting the Hanoi Museum's exhibition schedule.

The Hanoi Museum project, with a total investment of over 2,300 billion VND, completed phase 1 construction in 2010; however, the exhibition content (phase 2) has been continuously behind schedule.

This issue has been raised several times in the questioning sessions at the Hanoi City People's Council, especially at the mid-year session in 2025.

Visitors view the exhibits at the Hanoi Museum.

Phase 2 is still not complete.

During the explanatory and questioning sessions, particularly the April 2022 session, many city council members questioned the prolonged delay of phase 2 of this project. Phase 1 (building construction) was completed in 2010, but phase 2 – the exhibition of artifacts – which was scheduled for completion in 2015, has yet to be finished. Council members questioned the reasons for the prolonged delay; the responsibility of the relevant units and individuals; and the exact completion date of the overall project.

On behalf of the Hanoi People's Committee and related units, the representative of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, at the time of the explanation in 2022, presented the main reasons for the delay. Accordingly, the Hanoi Museum is one of the largest projects in the Vietnamese museum system, and the implementation of the exhibition involves the participation of many levels of management, scientists , cultural and historical experts, thus taking a lot of time. In addition, the project has changed investors several times, affecting the continuity of the project.

One of the other obstacles in implementing phase 2 of the Hanoi Museum project lies in the documentation and exhibits. In 2009, the city approved the exhibition design outline. However, at that time, the entire system of exhibits had not been fully inventoried. It wasn't until 2020 that the Hanoi People's Committee re-approved the museum design outline. Furthermore, the complex equipment and technology for exhibiting the exhibits required consultation with foreign experts (Japan, France), leading to many time-consuming stages.

In 2022, representatives from the Department of Culture and Sports acknowledged the subjective responsibility of the investor (Hanoi Museum Project Management Board) and the Department for the delay in implementation. During the explanation session in April 2022, the leaders of the Department of Culture and Sports committed to completing phase 2. This included completing 65% of the design and construction; submitting the technical design documents to the Department of Construction for appraisal; and being determined to complete the exhibition section in 2023 for testing and acceptance; with the overall project concluding by mid-2024.

Clearly define responsibilities to expedite progress.

The delay in the Hanoi Museum project was one of the issues that the City People's Council re-questioned in subsequent sessions (such as the tenth session of the 16th City People's Council, December 2022), alongside other key projects that were behind schedule.

According to reports, the Hanoi Museum has recently undergone positive transformations. Alongside improving its permanent exhibition content, the museum is striving to become a creative space, organizing numerous educational activities, experiential events, art exhibitions, and performances combining technology to attract the public and enhance the value of the building. However, the delay in progress remains a pressing issue and will continue to be raised by the City People's Council for questioning in 2025, as the project has not yet been completed overall according to previously made commitments.

According to the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Hanoi City People's Council, although the Hanoi Museum has made positive changes in organizing activities and creative spaces, the core of phase 2 (content exhibition) is still incomplete, too late compared to the initial commitment (completion by 2015) and even the most recent commitments (overall completion by mid-2024).

At the mid-year session of the City People's Council in July 2025, the City People's Council conducted a follow-up questioning session and requested the City People's Committee to focus on directing and accelerating the implementation of slow-progressing projects, including the Hanoi Museum. The follow-up questioning focused on clarifying the subjective reasons for the prolonged delays despite numerous commitments; identifying the responsibilities of individuals and units involved; and proposing a roadmap and decisive solutions to complete the projects definitively, avoiding prolonged project delays that cause waste.

According to the new plan, the Hanoi Museum is expected to complete the entire exhibition system on all four floors in the fourth quarter of 2025. Simultaneously, from the beginning of 2025, the Hanoi Museum will begin charging an entrance fee. This fee collection is considered an important step in bringing the building into operation and managing finances more effectively. The museum is also actively organizing thematic exhibitions, creative spaces, and community activities to attract visitors while awaiting interior completion.

According to Nguyen Thanh Binh, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Hanoi People's Council, the People's Council will continue to closely monitor the situation and make recommendations to the Hanoi People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies to ensure the completion of the commitments made after the questioning session. Completing phase 2 of the Hanoi Museum is one of the key tasks to effectively promote the capital's major cultural institutions.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thuc-day-tien-do-trung-bay-bao-tang-ha-noi-726640.html