Saigon Museums: History and Fine Arts Museum Guide

The Museum of Vietnamese History charges VND 60,000 from 1 October 2026. It is closed on Monday and from 11:30 to 13:00. The Fine Arts Museum opens 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Sunday. Its posted table shows VND 30,000, but the city fee rose to VND 60,000 on 1 October at the other city museums, so carry VND 60,000.

By Vincent Nguyen

The Museum of Vietnamese History (Bảo tàng Lịch sử Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) closes for lunch. It shuts at 11:30, reopens at 13:00 and closes for the day at 17:00. Entry is VND 60,000 from 1 October 2026. The Fine Arts Museum in Ben Thanh opens straight through from 08:00 to 17:00.

Saigon museums ticket prices and opening hours

Who enters the History Museum free or at half price

The fee is set city-wide for museums run by the city culture department. At the History Museum these groups enter free:

• Children, pupils and students.
• People from poor and near-poor households.

Older people as defined in the Law on the Elderly pay half. Bring a citizen ID card or other proof.

The Fine Arts Museum fee

The museum’s own table shows VND 30,000 per visit. The city raised the fee to VND 60,000 on 1 October 2026 at the History Museum and the War Remnants Museum, under the same city rule for Department museums. Carry VND 60,000 in cash.

Half price applies to children aged 6 to under 16, to pupils and students of Vietnamese schools, and to Vietnamese citizens aged 60 or over. As a foreign visitor you will normally pay the full adult fee.

What to see at the History Museum and Fine Arts Museum

Museum of Vietnamese History

The building opened in 1929 as the Blanchard de la Brosse museum, the first museum in southern Vietnam. It became a national architectural and artistic monument in 2012. The museum holds more than 40,000 artifacts. Twelve national treasures sit in the galleries.

Start in Room 1 with the primitive era. The Vietnamese history rooms end with the Nguyen dynasty in Room 12.

Room 6 is Champa culture and Room 7 is Oc Eo culture. Room 15 shows the Xom Cai mummy. Room 18 shows Buddhist statues from several Asian countries. Cannons from the 18th and 19th centuries stand in the outdoor area.

The museum also has gift shops and a drinks and snack stall. It stages water puppetry and hat boi, a classical Vietnamese stage art.

Fine Arts Museum

The Fine Arts Museum opened to visitors at the end of May 1989. It keeps more than 22,000 artifacts. The buildings follow French architecture.

The modern collection has nearly 4,000 works. It includes lacquer and engraved lacquer pieces. You also find works by painters of the Indochina and Gia Dinh schools. Ancient Champa sculpture is part of the collection.

Who it suits (and who should skip it)

• Good for sculpture and ancient history: Room 6 is Champa culture and Room 7 is Oc Eo culture.
• Good for a morning start: the History Museum runs 08:00 to 11:30 before its break.
• Good for art lovers: the Fine Arts Museum has lacquer works and nearly 4,000 modern pieces.
• Skip the History Museum on Monday, when it is closed.
• Skip the Fine Arts Museum if you want a drink inside; no food or drink is allowed in the galleries.

How to get to the museums

Museum of Vietnamese History

The museum is at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street. The address sits in Sai Gon Ward, which absorbed the former Ben Nghe Ward. Take bus 52, 06, 14, 19, 45, 30 or 56. Mai Linh and Vinasun taxis serve the museum.

Motorbikes and other vehicles park along Nguyen Binh Khiem Street. The car park holds about ten 16-seat vehicles.

Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Fine Arts Museum

The museum is at 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street (Phó Đức Chính), in Ben Thanh Ward.

Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

When to go

Reach the History Museum between 08:00 and 11:30, or after 13:00. Go Tuesday to Sunday. On a Monday, go to the Fine Arts Museum, which is open every day. It also stays open through midday, so it fits the History Museum’s lunch gap.

Nearby and how to combine it

Plan the History Museum before 11:30, then the Fine Arts Museum, which stays open to 17:00.

• War Remnants Museum: 28 Vo Van Tan Street, open 07:30 to 17:30 daily, VND 60,000 from 1 October 2026.
• Independence Palace: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, open 07:00 to 18:00, VND 80,000 general adult ticket.

For a full route, see things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

Before you go

• History Museum: carry VND 60,000.
• Fine Arts Museum: carry VND 60,000 in cash.
• Free or half-price ticket: bring a citizen ID card or other proof. Foreign visitors rarely qualify.
• Cover shoulders and knees at the Fine Arts Museum; the rule is polite dress.
• Leave luggage, suitcases and backpacks at the designated storage.
• Do not touch exhibits, and keep food and drink out of the galleries.
• Use a phone for souvenir photos; register professional photography at the ticket counter.

Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Giang Hoang, Google Maps contributor, Vinh Truong.

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Not confirmed: Fine Arts Museum adult ticket: the museum's own table shows VND 30,000, while the city rule behind the VND 60,000 History Museum fee covers all Department museums. Carry VND 60,000; if the lower price still applies you get change back.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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