Reflection

From smog (mist) filled Hanoi with its bustling and clogged streets to the ‘fresh’ air and speeding drivers of Da Nang, we have experienced a myriad of different sensations, food and sights of this amazing and resilient country. These differences are also reflected in the styles of presenting objects and stories in the six Vietnamese museums we have visited to date. Except for the Temple of Literature, all the museums contain exhibition space depicting the struggles and sacrifices that the country and its people have endured to defeat more powerful aggressors/occupiers. Each museum depicts these struggles and ultimate victory in different ways whether this be through art work, dioramas, stories of gallant soldiers, or photographs.

The Hoa Lo Prison Museum successfully presents the brutality inflicted upon those Vietnamese dissidents attempting to overthrow of French regime. Despite the hardships inflicted, many political prisoners survived and rose to power within the newly formed Government in 1954. In contrast, the Vietnamese are shown to be benevolent jailers to US airmen incarcerated in the same prison during the American War.

From what we have seen, Vietnamese museums are predominately spaces for schoolchildren and foreign visitors to be educated about the country, its ethnic minorities, and unification from imperialist powers. This education is achieved through a behaviourist approach where curators are telling the stories. There is no acknowledgement that foreign visitors may bring with them existing knowledge of Vietnam. For the museum experience to grow and be relevant to greater numbers of Vietnamese, other methods or concepts of attracting visitors need to be introduced, such as free-choice learning.