At a regular press briefing on February 26, representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports announced that the Prime Minister had issued Decision No. 236/QD-TTg recognizing the 14th batch of National Treasures.

Among the total of 30 artifacts and artifact groups honored nationwide in this round, Ho Chi Minh City is home to one artifact and one artifact group. Notably, both are preserved in non-public museums and private collections.

The first is a ceramic pedestal bowl from the Hoa Loc culture, dating back approximately 4,000 to 3,800 years. The artifact is currently housed at the Museum of Ceramics of the Early Age. It stands as a representative antiquity of exceptional historical and archaeological value, reflecting exchanges and connections between Hoa Loc cultural communities and residents of the early nation-building period.

The second is a multicolored glazed ceramic statue set depicting Tam Quan Dai De, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, belonging to the private collection of Le Thanh Nghia. The set falls within the genre of worship statues and reflects the spiritual life and folk beliefs of southern Vietnam. It is regarded as an artifact group of outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and technical value, exemplifying the pinnacle of traditional handcrafted ceramics serving communal worship needs.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the ceremony announcing the Prime Minister’s decision will take place at 7:30 am on March 6 at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum.

The honoring of treasures preserved in non-public museums and private collections is not only a source of pride for their owners but also a testament to the recognition and companionship of the state and the community in persistent efforts to safeguard and promote the value of national cultural heritage.

This latest event further affirms the effectiveness of cooperation between state cultural institutions and organizations and individuals in heritage conservation activities. It helps bring cultural values closer to the public, particularly in the context of digital transformation and deep international integration.

The recognition of National Treasures goes beyond honoring the exceptional value of individual artifacts. It also strengthens cultural foundations, nurtures identity and provides spiritual momentum for the sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the country as a whole.

As of 2025, Vietnam has 357 artifacts and artifact groups recognized by the Prime Minister as National Treasures. Of these, 25 are currently preserved in Ho Chi Minh City at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, the Binh Duong Museum, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Museum, the Museum of Ceramics of the Early Age and the private Le Thanh Nghia collection.

Twenty-five National Treasures currently preserved in Ho Chi Minh City

At the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History, there are 12 National Treasures: the Dong Duong Buddha statue; the goddess Devi statue; the Avalokitesvara of Hoai Nhon statue; the Avalokitesvara of Dai Huu statue; the Vishnu of Tan Hoi statue; the god Surya statue; the Avalokitesvara of Ngai Hoa Thuong statue; the goddess Durga statue; the Son Tho Buddha statue; the Binh Hoa Buddha statue; the Loi My Buddha statue; and the Sa Dec Buddha statue.

At the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, there are two National Treasures: the lacquer painting Vuon xuan Trung Nam Bac by Nguyen Gia Tri and the lacquer painting Thanh nien thanh dong by Nguyen Sang.

At the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, there are two National Treasures: the printing plate for a five-dong promissory note and the bronze seal Luong Tai Hau chi an.

At the Binh Duong Museum, there are three National Treasures: the Doc Chua animal statue; the Phu Chanh wooden jar burial with bronze drum lid; and the Phu Chanh wooden weaving toolkit.

At the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Museum, there are three National Treasures: three gold masks from the Giong Lon Long Son archaeological site.

At the Museum of Ceramics of the Early Age, there are two National Treasures: a ceramic steamer and the Hoa Loc culture ceramic pedestal bowl.

In the private Le Thanh Nghia collection, there is one National Treasure: the multicolored glazed ceramic statue set of Tam Quan Dai De.

Quoc Ngoc