The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will open the doors of several major museums and cultural venues in Hanoi to the public free of charge for three days, from September 1 to 3.

Visitors can enjoy free admission to the following locations: Ho Chi Minh Museum, National Museum of Vietnamese History, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Vietnam Contemporary Art Theatre, and the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism.

Explore the museums

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Vietnam Fine Arts Museum attracts many visitors. Photo: Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

Located behind the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh Museum houses a vast collection of documents, artifacts, and precious images chronicling the life and legacy of President Ho Chi Minh.

For this National Day, the museum will feature themed exhibitions including “80 Years of the People’s Police Remembering Uncle Ho’s Teachings,” “Autumn of Independence,” and an outdoor display titled “Spring of Independence.” Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM.

The National Museum of Vietnamese History offers 2,000 square meters of exhibition space across two locations. The Trang Tien facility displays Vietnamese history from prehistoric times through the Nguyen Dynasty (ending in 1945), while the 216 Tran Quang Khai site covers modern history from the mid-20th century to today.

A featured exhibition titled “Popular Education - Lighting the Future” will be on display at the Tran Quang Khai branch. Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is showcasing a special exhibition titled “Children of the Nation.”

Enjoy traditional water puppetry

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Water puppetry is a unique form of traditional Vietnamese folk art. Photo: Lotus Water Puppetry

At the Vietnam Contemporary Art Theatre (16 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem), audiences can watch the free “Lotus” water puppet show to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day.

Performances will take place at 5:15 PM and 6:30 PM from September 1 to 3, each lasting approximately 50 minutes. The shows will begin with traditional Northern Vietnamese folk melodies, followed by puppetry scenes that reflect rural life and spiritual culture.

Discover ethnic culture and festive activities

From August 30 to September 2, the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism will host a vibrant cultural festival themed “Joyful National Day.”

The program will feature nearly 200 artists, ethnic community members, and folk performers recreating the cultural atmosphere of ethnic groups from the Northwestern and Northeastern regions. Highlights include open-air markets, traditional games, folk music and dances, and rituals.

Visitors can sample authentic ethnic dishes such as whole roasted pork and duck from Lang Son, thang co (meat stew), steamed rice rolls, and men men (steamed cornmeal). There will also be games like jackstones, bamboo jacks, hopscotch, tic-tac-toe, and puppet shows indoors, alongside stilt walking, bamboo pole dancing, and swings outdoors.

A special performance of the Lion Dance of the Nung ethnic group, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, will also be featured.

Admission to the village will be free during the holiday.

Enjoy free national concerts

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Young audiences attend a national concert titled “Homeland in My Heart” on the evening of August 10.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanoi People’s Committee will co-host a series of major free concerts open to both residents and tourists.

On the evening of August 31, the Vietnam Exhibition Center in Dong Anh will host a grand multimedia show titled “Hanoi - Shining Aspiration of Vietnam.”

The concert “Vietnam in Me” will feature top young artists including Soobin Hoang Son, Hoa Minzy, Erik, Duc Phuc, Quan AP, and Duong Hoang Yen.

A highlight of “Hanoi - Shining Aspiration of Vietnam” will be a sophisticated mix of music, dance, and theatrical performance enhanced with 3D mapping, modern sound systems, and lighting technology.

On September 1, My Dinh National Stadium will host a large-scale epic performance celebrating national pride. The event will feature legendary artists like Thanh Lam, Dang Duong, Trong Tan, My Tam, Tung Duong, along with younger talents such as Den, Anh Tu, Lam Bao Ngoc, and OPlus band.

On the evening of September 2, four simultaneous concerts will take place across the capital. At Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square (Hoan Kiem), a program titled “80 Years - Proudly Vietnamese” will be held. At the outdoor stage in Lac Long Quan Flower Garden (Tay Ho), “The Eternal Epic” will take place.

Meanwhile, My Dinh Stadium will host “Under the Golden Star,” and Van Quan Lake (Ha Dong) will host “Echoes of Victory.”

Linh Trang