Ildike Piercy 40988672 - Local folk(lore): The Museum of Folklore Hoi An

Located in the heart of the historic town of Hoi An, the Museum of Folklore presents a unique opportunity for the discerning explorer or experience seeker to delve a little deeper, beyond the city’s beautiful rustic façades, into the rich history of cultural traditions that drove Hoi An’s development and growth as trading port. Set within a restored merchant’s house, the museum houses an impressive collection that includes historic photographs, traditional tools, ceramics, furniture and textiles. The unique traditional setting and detailed architecture of the building contextualizes the collection and sets the tone of the experience; by entering the historic building one feels almost as though they are stepping back in time. The suburban setting of the museum combined with the domestic scale of the spaces within creates an immersive experience and the natural light filtering in from the windows adds to the authenticity of the atmosphere. At first glance, what can seem like a dark and gloomy space soon becomes mysterious and intriguing to the visitor – almost as if you’re exploring someone’s home and perusing their personal possessions. This atmosphere works well for the museum’s main visitor demographic of international tourists and school students. The lack of directional maps and signs adds to the informal feel of the space and creates a free-choice learning environment where visitors can meander through the spaces and view the exhibits in any order (Kirshenblatt-Gimblett 1998).

The collection is grouped thematically into sections across the two levels of the museum with each exploring a traditional activity or occupation for example, fishing, silk weaving and ceramic production. A combination of photographs, dioramas, traditional equipment and artefacts are used to illustrate each activity and these work together to enable the visitor to interpret and understand the information in several different ways (e.g. visual and written formats). In addition, the museum employs several women who are stationed throughout the building to perform a range of traditional activities including silk production and cloth weaving; the products they create are then sold in the museum’s gift shop. These live-action elements effectively demonstrate the knowledge, traditional skills and time it takes to create such products in an accessible and engaging format that transcends the barrier of language (N .J. Fuller 1992). This performative element communicates these values subliminally to the visitor increasing their appreciation of the products on sale. The internal courtyard provides a peaceful area for visitors to stop and rest, a place where they can sip tea (also available in the gift shop) and recharge before continuing their visit.

However, the use of real women within the museum demonstrating traditional handicrafts in much the same way as the mannequins within the dioramas (see photographs below) can raise some challenging questions in terms of the role and value of women within society today. There also exists an opportunity for the museum to expand its visitor base by creating stronger connections to the other museums within Hoi An perhaps by creating an outdoor heritage trail linking the museums that visitors can follow. Overall, the Museum of Folkore in Hoi An is well worth a visit and provides an insight into the unique tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Hoi An.

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.

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

Temple of Literature, Hanoi

Visiting the Temple of Literature is one of Hanoi's oldest major monuments and comes highly recommended on Vietnam tourism sites, and it's obvious why. The entrance was swarming with tourists, which was a good indication of the popularity of the site, and the number of Vietnamese visitors was also an indication of the sites local importance. We entered the space with an extremely informative guide, which is needed for the knowledge seeking audience, as there is little to no information or interpretation signage. The Temple is not a large site (compared to other Vietnamese temple complex's), this was helpful for orientation, and although having a tour guide was useful, it's not necessary to find your way around the site.

It was welcoming with its wide open entrance and awe inspiring with its beautifuly crafted wood and stonework. Once inside, the space was a peaceful and reflective one that encouraged respect from its visitors. The Vietnamese people place extreme value on education and still treat the site as a place of pilgrimage.

 

"Talented and virtuous men are important for the development of the country" (inscribed on a greenstone tablet along with the names of ancient university graduates).

Students visit the site to leave offerings and make wishes to the first university headmaster, praying to pass exams or get into uni.

The site doesn't have issues drawing in tourists as it's an interesting and attractive  site away from busy hanoi traffic, it also offers a unique sensory experience with the smell of incense and sound of traditional music. As an active spiritual site it also has no issues attracting locals. What the Temple does need is a way to create further revenue, and this could be done easily without ruining the sanctity of the space. The site could benefit from sustainable educational programs that interest school groups and tourists. 

This could be as simple as having some interpretive signs placed around the site for students to search for, encouraging questions and active learning. Or drawing on the idea of a reawakening of the temple as a university, the site could offer workshops for traditional calligraphy and ink techniques, and a workshop on stone and woodwork. If the visitor gets to enjoy the site on a deeper level, maybe make something to carry with them such as a small tortoise (a symbol of long life) their experience of the site will be a memorable one.

The Visitor Experience - Hanoi

One week definitely wasn't long enough in Hanoi. Sampling unique local food, the sounds, smells (good and not so good) and shopping! It was a completely immersive experience from start to end, and for a self-confessed experience seeker/explorer, Hanoi offers unlimited entertainment. There is also a wide variety of museums that cater to different audiences, some doing simple things to create a more audience focused museum, and trying to bring Vietnamese museums into social life.

The Hanoi Museum of Fine Arts faces some intricate challenges that they are slowly working through to improve their museum. Their aim is to diversify their collection, train museum staff and move towards the 'new museology', thinking specifically about audiences and how to cater to them. In order to achieve this, the museum needs to make some obvious  
changes. Unfortunately walking through the main entrance was not a welcoming experience. With no obvious signs to guide us or any welcoming museum staff, the initial first impression is a negative one. However the gallery opens itself to many different types of audiences, and despite the lack of contextualisation of artworks the layout of the space is interesting. There were a few tour groups around, but it was also enjoyable just wandering the different gallery spaces freely. 

The gallery shop (although tucked away and not so obvious as a museum shop) was also a really positive part of the experience, as each piece of art sold in the space is done by local artists, you can purchase unique miniature paintings showcasing the skill of local Hanoi painters. 

The Women’s Museum in Hanoi is a completely different visitor experience. Even from a distance anyone can tell it’s a museum, with large posters and banners lining the street, and a colourful relatively modern building which echoes of the architectural style of the guggenhiem (a nice difference from the traditional french colonial buildings many Vietnamese museums are occupying). The main staircase leading up to the building is open and welcoming. The entrance is lined with beautiful images of local women, a very empowering feeling. It’s definitely a museum you want to take a photo next to. 

This feeling set the scene for the rest of the visit and it did not disappoint. The gift shop and information desk, toilets and lockers are also in the museum entrance, facilities all great for visitor comfort.  The main courtyard also had a recharge area in the form of a quiet cafe for visitors to relax after their visit. Wayfinding is not an issue in this museum as the staircase leads to one level at a time, each level intended to be viewed seperately, although it's easy to skip a level or head to the top and make your way down instead, still getting the full effect of the space. Similarly to the Fine Arts Museum, the gift shop also sells local wares, only selling items made by women in mountainous minority groups, supporting and promoting traditional trades, also creating a strong connection with those communities.

Both museums were great, although The Women’s Museum was definitely a more positive experience. It’s amazing how a museum entrance can influence an initial response, and set the scene for the rest of the visit. 

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.

Discovery Centre spaces and the ability to connect with a wider audience

Discovery Centre spaces and the ability to connect with a wider audience.

A comparison of the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts, VietnamWomen’s Museum and the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) discovery spaces will look at the possibilities available to the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts. If the discovery space is set up correctly it could increase audience numbers and engage different audience clusters. This would intern help with the merge to self-sustainability for this museum. While the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts discovery space has been closed for the last year it is easy to see that the education team are trying to make it a viable space with a thriving program. However, this museum needs to look further than just fine arts activities and programs for this to become sustainable. QAGOMA’s Children’s Centre and education programs or the Vietnam Women’s Museum Discovery Space or public programs would be good places to look at to start with.

QAGOMA Children’s Centre is a vibrant, open, interactive and engaging space. It connects the exhibition space and artists with the public, especially families. Children and families are given a range of free-choice learning opportunities and hands-on activities which cater to diverse range of audiences. There are multiple activities and types of learning available which accommodate different age groups and learning styles from Toddler Tuesdays and specific online content to teacher programs, disability tours and regional touring exhibitions. [1] The public programming also incorporates diverse learning styles and free-choice learning, from the Up Late to the Over 50 to the Cinema programming everyone is offered something that could appeal to them. While these programs are labour intensive it is possible to run these types of programs with volunteer staff.  The vibrancy and availability of these programs are draw cards not only for families but all audience clusters to QAGOMA.

Vietnam Women’s Museum is also a dynamic vibrant interactive space. It connects the themes and objects of the permanent exhibition space to the public, especially families. Like QAGOMA children are given a range of learning opportunities and free-choice learning through the discovery space. This museum is not an art museum so it does not connect artists but rather the topic and concepts of the exhibition to the audience. The public programming also incorporates a wider audience connection to the exhibitions. The online content is not as available however, they also have touring exhibitions which reach wider and diverse audience.

The Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts could look at the programs run by these two museums to incorporate better programs that reach a more diverse audience with a range of learning styles and free-choice learning activities. They could also look to the Queensland Museum’s discovery centre and the lunchtime programs offered.[2] Where the audience can ask an expert, or the expert discusses an object. In short just creating an education program for school students is no longer enough, there needs to be a variety of programs that cater to a diverse audience with free-choice learning options.

[1] QAGOMA annual report 2015

[2] Visit to Queensland Museum 2016 as part of Museum studies program

Hoa Lo Prison Museum -- Site Experience

The visit to Ho Lo Prison or the Hanoi Hilton was seen by many as a strong experiential space, detailing the brutalities of colonial prison life meted out by the French. The glimpses of the lives of American airmen and the tolerance shown by the Vietnamese also raised the question about those that construct such narratives.

Hoa Lo Museum gift shop

One of things I liked about Hoa Lo was the way that the gift shop extended the museum experience. The products for sale enabled visitors to take home a small part of that experience -- the strong emotional narrative of resistance against aggression --in a variety of different forms.

Contrast this with the shops in Van Mieu -- each of the items there could be bought at any street stall in Hanoi, and I found this particularly disappointing. On the other hand, our visit to the Women's Museum revealed how the shop became a focal point for empowering female craft producers in Vietnam and thus strengthened the mission and vision of the institution.

The point of this short thought-piece is that museum experience is located not just in the galleries and public programmes; it is bigger than the sum of the parts. As a tourist, I wanted things to remember my visit to Ho Loa (or the Women's Museum) -- something small and portable that captured the emotions and unique characteristics of these exciting institutions. Free choice learning helps us capture the motivations of such visitors -- tourists like me -- and enhance the museum visit to different types of visitors.

Graeme