One trend among young people today is buying “blind boxes” – mystery bags containing unknown items. A project called Kinh Do Ky Hoa is selling such boxes themed around Hanoi’s heritage sites. Inside each box is a model kit of landmarks like the Hanoi Flag Tower, the North Gate, or the Princess Pavilion in the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Rather than a finished souvenir, customers receive pieces to assemble, along with a QR code linking to detailed historical content.

Nguyen Minh Thanh, a student at Doan Khue Primary School, shared: “I’ve visited the Thang Long Imperial Citadel during Lunar New Year. We usually play with car or superhero puzzles. Now I really enjoy building historical monuments.”

This heritage model product line was created by a group of university students in Hanoi, with expert support from the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center.

Nguyen Minh Thu, Head of the Interpretation Department at the Heritage Conservation Center, said: “We’re moved to see our national cultural heritage creatively reimagined by young people. This model should be expanded to other heritage sites beyond Thang Long.”

In Duong Lam Ancient Village, artisan Nguyen Tan Phat has developed a creative tourism product using straw – crafting life-sized animals like buffalo, cows, and horses from dried rice stalks. These unique artworks attract both domestic and international visitors. He plans to launch new product lines inspired by Doai’s cultural identity, made from laterite stone.

Cultural industries rise from community creativity

Projects like Kinh Do Ky Hoa or straw-made livestock may seem small, but they embody a much larger story: the growth of cultural industries and the reimagining of heritage through creative design.

These initiatives demonstrate that Hanoi values creativity and works to nurture it. Across the capital, there are countless similar examples - micro-enterprises, artisan studios, public institutions, and cultural organizations - harnessing heritage to create new cultural products across tourism, cuisine, crafts, music, fashion, and performing arts.

Hanoi is known for its elegance and refinement. In recent years, creativity has become another defining trait. The city’s inclusion in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in 2019 reflects this evolving identity. Its creative capital draws from a deep pool of cultural heritage and talent.

In the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam complex, the nighttime experience tour The Essence of Confucianism uses storytelling and digital technology to bring history to life. At Hoa Lo Prison, evening programs turn prison cells and guillotines into moving stories of resilience and patriotism.

At Quan Thanh Temple, the “Bell of Tran Vu” experience combines traditional tuong theater with other art forms to narrate the cultural essence of the Truc Bach Lake area. In Hanoi’s craft villages, such as Bat Trang pottery, Van Phuc silk, Phu Vinh bamboo weaving, and Ha Thai lacquerware, artisans are taking their crafts global. Bat Trang and Van Phuc have even joined the World Creative Cities Network for crafts.

Creating structural support for creativity

Policies like the Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW (June 9, 2014) and Hanoi’s Program 06-CTr/TU underscore the importance of cultural development and human capital as core to sustainable national growth. These policies help define the unique cultural identity of Hanoians and support the city’s development.

Notably, Resolution No. 09-NQ/TU (2021-2025, with vision to 2030) by the Hanoi Party Committee promotes cultural industries as a new economic driver. It emphasizes balancing heritage conservation with modern development, enhancing traditional values while integrating international cultural trends.

Key solutions proposed include innovative policies, training for human resources, and market expansion. New mechanisms are designed to encourage creative entrepreneurship, develop digital and cultural economies, and support sustainable creative ecosystems. These policies create a robust foundation for Hanoi’s artists, artisans, and cultural entrepreneurs.

Fostering new creative models

Despite progress, Hanoi still lacks major cultural industry enterprises and innovative investment models. To address this, in July 2025, Hanoi’s People’s Council passed two key resolutions: one establishing commercial and cultural development zones, and another defining the structure and operation of cultural industry centers.

These resolutions remove barriers and provide clear support mechanisms for cultural industry development. For cultural industry centers, the city will allocate land, invest in infrastructure, and mobilize resources. Businesses and individuals investing in these centers will receive tax and rental incentives, including exemptions for the first three years and 50% reductions for the next three.

While cultural industry centers target large-scale investment and urban areas, the commercial and cultural development zones are suited to traditional streets, craft villages, and areas with high concentrations of cultural activity. The former may follow public-private or private models, while the latter uses community cooperation and self-management to elect managing units.

The city will also fund events and promotional efforts in both models. Notably, events that significantly contribute to cultural heritage or international cultural promotion may receive up to 40% support for organizational costs, capped at VND 200 million (approx. USD 7,800) per event.

Hanoi currently has over 100 creative spaces and many villages and neighborhoods with cultural potential. Until now, most operated independently without support. These two new models, with their tailored incentives, are expected to unlock a new wave of creative energy.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture and Society, remarked:
“This is the first time a local government has designed a cultural management model linking the creative ecosystem - from state governance to grassroots innovation, from startups to heritage streets, from public investment policies to mechanisms that empower communities.”

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Le Hong Son, added that Hanoi has unique advantages to turn its cultural assets into economic strength. He emphasized that Hanoi can position itself not only as a regional cultural industry center in Southeast Asia, but potentially across the Asia-Pacific.

PV