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Ho Chi Minh Museum

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Jason
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Editor Pick

Madness at the Ho Chi Minh Museum

  • July 17, 2008
  • Rated 4 of 5 by bettybetty10 from Dallas, Texas
Madness at the Ho Chi Minh Museum

After the Mausoleum, we walked the premises of the Ho Chi Minh Complex. On the other side, there is the Ho Chi Minh Museum. At first, we didn’t think we would have time to visit because it was almost time for lunch, but it turns out if you get in before 11:30, you can stay through lunch. They just don’t sell tickets during the lunch hour.

When we got in, it was seriously a madhouse. Because it was Saturday, many Vietnamese people had brought their families and there were children running around and screaming. There are even signs around that say "Please remain quiet" – obviously, they weren’t being observed. It was a complete 180 from the regimented environment of the mausoleum.

Nevertheless, this museum is chockfull of Uncle Ho paraphernalia. There are tons of propaganda videos and posters featuring him, photos of him in the war and with other diplomats, gifts he had received from various people, artwork inspired by him (or simply popular while he was alive, including some Miro and Picasso replica pieces), replica tanks, dioramas, and statues. It is a lot to take in and there are a lot of photo opportunities. There is a HUGE bronze statue of Mr. Ho that everyone gets their photo taken with. We spent about 1.5 hours in the museum before we got too tired of the chaos.

There is a bakery downstairs if you want to grab a snack, as well as ice cream vendors outside. I bought an ice cream outside, and it was NOT delicious. It just tasted chalky and not creamy and sweet like ice cream should be. Just an FYI!

From journal Quirky but Delicious Hanoi

Editor Pick

Ho Chi Minh Museum

  • July 4, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Jason from New York, New York
Perhaps the most bizarre thing I ever witnessed was the corpse of Ho Chi Minh on display in Hanoi. Despite his final request that he be cremated, Vietnamese authorities felt Uncle Ho was too important a piece of their history to simply burn. So now he is encased in glass inside a casket lined with pink satin. Get in the long line near the mausoleum and march, single file with the thousands of Vietnamese that come daily to pay their respect. No photographs (there are armed guards to enforce this rule.) When you're finished go check out the Ho Chi Minh Museum next door with everything you wanted to know about the man and much, much more.

From journal Vietnam

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