On the morning of July 24, 2025, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong chaired a mid-year meeting with the leaders of museums and heritage sites under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This meeting took place at the Vietnam National Museum (VNMH) of History in Hanoi.
Attendees included representatives from the Department of Cultural Heritage, the Department of Planning and Finance, and the Department of Personnel and Organization, along with leaders of key affiliated units such as the Vietnam National Museum of History, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, the Museum of Ethnic Cultures, and the Ho Chi Minh Presidential Site.
Panoramic photo of the meeting at the VNMH
During the meeting, leaders from museums and heritage sites reported on the progress made in the first six months of 2025. They highlighted key achievements in areas such as archaeological excavation, exhibitions, education, preservation, communications, and visitor services. However, they also acknowledged ongoing difficulties, including insufficient infrastructure, a lack of human and financial resources, and complications during implementation. To address these issues and improve operational efficiency, they proposed constructive measures.
In response to the units’ recommendations, the relevant functional bodies of the Ministry discussed and clarified issues related to professional activities, infrastructure conditions, financial arrangements, and personnel organization.
Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong providing guidance during his address at the meeting
During his speech, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong expressed his appreciation for the dedication shown by museums and heritage sites during the first six months of 2025. Despite facing numerous challenges, including limited facilities, workforce shortages, and ongoing organizational reforms, these institutions have actively worked to overcome obstacles and achieve commendable results. The integration of technology into exhibition activities has attracted public interest and received high praise from experts. Furthermore, the successful organization of the Party Congresses for the 2025 - 2030 term at these units also reflected responsible leadership and organizational stability.
For the second half of 2025, the Deputy Minister urged the units to concentrate on the following priority areas:
- Landscape planning: Adopt a thoughtful approach to expanding outdoor spaces that are open, accessible, and easily identifiable, while ensuring that the surroundings remain green, clean, and attractive.
- Exhibition activities: Strengthen innovation in exhibition contents and formats; invest in research to enhance quality and post-opening impact; focus on research and public engagement by boosting media coverage and education activities.
- Fire safety and Artifact security: Ensuring fire safety and the protection of artifacts is a top priority. The Deputy Minister has assigned the Department of Cultural Heritage to coordinate with relevant units to review and assess safety measures at museums and heritage sites.
- Public Asset Utilization: The use of public assets should be appropriate and must not disrupt the space of museums or heritage sites.
- Organizational structure and Training: units need to recruit skilled young people and invest in training future personnel.
Specifically, for the Vietnam National Museum of History, the Deputy Minister issued the following guidance:
- A fire safety plan must be quickly developed and applied to protect documents and artifacts stored at 25 Tong Dan.
- A strategic plan for the comprehensive enhancement of the museum’s premises should be formulated, optimizing the site’s architectural and spatial assets to support more effective operations.
- Close coordination with the Project Management Board of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is essential for the prompt and efficient implementation of the museum renovation and construction projects. - Since the construction process at the 216 Tran Quang Khai location will be a lengthy process, a timely plan is needed to repair and upgrade the permanent exhibitions to ensure continuous service for visitors. .
The Deputy Minister also assigned key tasks to various functional departments to help units in remove obstacles and effectively implement their tasks.
- The Department of Cultural Heritage is responsible for guiding and supporting museums in reviewing their activities, completing necessary documentation, and conducting classifications according to established criteria. Based on this, it will serve as the foundation for developing a roadmap and gradually implementing autonomy tailored to the specific characteristics of each unit.
- The Department of Financial Planning is tasked with reviewing and incorporating the proposals from museums and heritage sites into the 2026 plan, prioritizing urgent issues. Specifically, the National Museum of History should be prioritized for funding to renovate and repair the permanent exhibitions at the 216 Tran Quang Khai location and to complete the fire prevention and fighting system as required.
Mr. Nguyen Van Doan - Director of the VNMH delivering a report at the meeting
The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. along with its affiliated museums and heritage sites, to reflect on their achievements, discuss challenges, and propose practical solutions. All units sincerely acknowledged the Ministry’s directives and expressed their determination to overcome challenges and successfully complete their assigned tasks .
Thu Hien