Hue: The Citadel and Antiquities Museum

Hue: The Citadel and Antiquities Museum.

There are three issues that the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum (the museum) needs to overcome to survive beyond the 21st Century. Firstly, the amount of time the visitor has available, secondly, visitor awareness of the antiquities museum and lastly, wayfinding from the Citadel to the museum. One suggestion would be to have a small version of the museum within the Citadel itself. There were available spaces within the Citadel that could easily house a small sample of objects from the museum. This would both inform visitors the museum exists and its location. For those visitors that are limited with the amount of time they are able to spend in Hue it is an option that falls within their time frame, adding to their experience within the Citadel. Training tour guides to also mention the museum and guiding visitors to the location as they finish their spiel is another way to increase visitor awareness.

Another option would be to work with the Citadel running education programs. The museum already works with the Citadel on one education program and parents want their children to learn about their local and national history[i]. This history in the museum is ready to be accessed but currently underutilised. Running programs that not only explore what daily life was like for different members of the court and area, but also how each emperor has influenced life today would be an asset to the museum and Citadel.  A language swap series could also help to reach a younger generation. These could be easily run within the grounds of the museum each Sunday with marketing aimed in the local hotels and cafes. Additionally the museum could look at hosting a music, writers or film festival around the Citadel. This would also bring a younger generation to the area. The museum would need to make sure there was some link to the collection, possibly have artists, musical, literary or visual respond to an item within the collection. While this is an expensive option it is also a way to help change the general mindset of the local Vietnamese about visiting museums and historical sites.

The position of the museum is not something that can be easily rectified. It is not on the main street as the visitor exits the Citadel. While there is one sign promoting the museum on exit, unless the museums location is on the Citadel guide, visitors do not know how to get to the museum. There is one sign at the top of the street that the museum is in, however, there needs to be more guiding the visitor. A little logo, perhaps a stylised cannon, which stands in the grass could guide visitors to the museum from the exit of the Citadel. The antiquities museum has a wonderful collection and it needs to be seen and utilised by different generations and types of visitors.

---

[i] From research conducted in Hoi An and Hanoi as well as conversations had with staff from the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum.