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Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City
War Remnants Museum

War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City

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War Remnants Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
War Remnants Museum
4.5
32,696
#2 of 251 things to do in Ho Chi Minh City
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About
War Remnants Museum is a unit under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Chi Minh City. Located in the museum system of Vietnam, the museum for world peace and a member of the World Council of Museums (ICOM), the War Remnants Museum, the Museum of thematic research, collection , storage, preservation and display of the material, photographs, artifacts on the evidence of the crime and the consequences of the war that the invasion force has caused to Vietnam.Museum store more than 20,000 documents, exhibits and films, in which more than 1,500 documents, artifacts, films have been applied to introduce in eight thematic exhibition frequently. In 35 years, the Museum has welcomed over 15 million visitors at home and abroad. Currently with about 500,000 visitors each year, the War Remnants Museum is one of the only cultural tourism to attract high public credibility at home and abroad.
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1-2 hours
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4.5
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cracker99
Abuja, Nigeria75 contributions
Two sides to every story?...not in this place
They may have change the name of this place from the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’ to attract more western tourists, but they certainly haven’t changed their philosophy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of American foreign policy or imperialism, but this place is just so bias its outright propaganda.

Yes there is plenty of stomach turning photos of Vietnamese casualties and plenty of old ordnance to be photographed with, but at no time are the North Vietnamese ever portrayed as anything but miss-understood sweethearts, I particularly like how they drag casualties in Cambodia into the Vietnam war such as missing war reports and blame this on the US of A and the Khmer Rouge.

If fact the top floor exhibit of War Reports as heroes telling the ‘truth’ about the USA’s involvement in the war is the most interesting piece of propaganda there.

While North Vietnamese (Army) photographers are also listed, none of their photos displayed North Vietnamese soldiers doing anything more sinister than polishing a rifle (so of course none of the violations of the Geneva Convention concerning detention and torture of US and allied POWs happened). Meanwhile all the Western War Correspondents photos are praised as accurate accounts of US atrocities. The most sickening thing is how the dead reports are praised for their efforts at ‘bringing out the true’ and how tragic so many of them died for their beliefs, when they total forget to mention it was North Vietnamese Troops who killed them all!

While it’s certainly worth seeing these exhibits I would engage your cynicism before you entre the place or your totally loose your perspective.
Written 10 November 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
abanksX
South Miami, FL8 contributions
The Other Side of the............................Story!
This was not the way we Americans that served..............Remember it .
But they have there side of the story too. They call there Tunnel( VC )soldiers,Brave Heros!!
We called them Chicken Sxxx Snipers.They would pop up -shoot a young GI,then hide in there tunnels(they were so small most Americans GI's could not fit in them) They had to make tunnels wider ,before it could be an attraction.
Thank god that was 45 years ago..................Vietnam today,is a great place with nice people!
Written 9 November 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
HannahCharnock
Sucre, Bolivia209 contributions
War Remnants Museum
formerly the Museum of American war Crimes. A real eye-opener. We knew the Vietnam War was an atrocious affair, but nothing prepared us for this. The museum documents the brutality of the war, the hideous torture and sickening human rights abuses that took place, and its legacy today - not so many years on. Outside the main museum building are replicas of the 'tiger cages' used to torture Vietcong prisoners, a French guillotine introduced to execute them, and a collection of retired artillery pieces. Inside - US planes, choppers and tanks. Inside the main museum building there's an incredibly moving collection of photographs, 'Requiem', taken by 134 war reporters killed covering the war; heartbreaking pictures of the masses of victims of the war - victims of torture, and those born with horrendous birth defects caused by Agent Orange and dioxin; an exhibition of international solidarity with the Vietnamese people and against the War, including pictures of demonstrations held in London; and a 'War & Peace' children's painting collection. It was an emotionally exhausting but hugely worthwhile visit and definitely gave us a deeper appreciation of the absolute horror of war and the impressive resilience of the Vietnamese people.
Written 5 November 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
happypixie
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam2 contributions
Graphic reasons for why war is NEVER a good idea
It was the first stop on a city tour package. Heavy subject to digest but very highly recommended. The pictures speak for themselves, blatantly propaganda material but you can't deny the effects of war, it happened, and one side of the story was told in this museum. Content was highly graphic, dead bodies, chemical warfare, etc. The lives lost, the violence, how war can warp your humanity, and destroy your psyche. Simple displays with high emotional impact.
Written 15 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
jackandjill4
London, UK37 contributions
Sad and superb
If there is only one thing you have time to do in Saigon, go to this museum. Although most of the descriptions, graphs and some of the pictures are highly propagandistic, that should not detract from the sheer audacity of the place. It is located on a small corner plot pretty much in the centre of Saigon and as you walk up to the museum it is hardly conceivable that you have arrived, especially for those used to European or American grandeur in museum building. The next thing that will strike you is that the Vietnamese have opted to place a wide selection of US military hardware in the museum's forecourt, including an F5 fighter jet, various tanks, boats, helicopters and artillery pieces, as if to say, look here, you had all of these magnificent machines and we still beat you. The exhibits inside the museum are, as mentioned, a bit one-sided to put it mildly but the photo exhibitions on the upper floors, including a history of the war, starting from when JFK was still in charge, are both sad and superb.
Written 10 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Myles M
London53 contributions
A must see... even if it is very upsetting.
This is a brutal and savage reminder of war. I don't think it really matters which side or what the propoganda means the pictures and stories say it all. There are some very harrowing images and quite upsetting but it is worth seeing to learn and try to understand. On the top floor there were lots of photo journalists stories which were really good. Some of the shots were unbelievable.

Go and see it and have a beer afterwards for a bit of reflection.
Written 7 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
cs_frimley
Wokingham, UK114 contributions
Informative but harrowing - not for faint of heart of children
My wife and I visited the museum during October 2010.

Of course, there is a very one sided approach to the information provided but what can't be denied is the inhuman activity that took place in Vietnam during the war.

The exhibition is well labelled but we were both surprised at the graphical nature of the photography on show, certainly some of the imagery is harrowing and not for those who not OK seeing human remains and torture.

It is a good way of learning the process of independance followed by conflict and there are various army vehicles on show to follow up the stories.
Written 4 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GabMD
Melbourne4 contributions
Very graphic for young children
On one hand this is a must do while in Ho Chi Minh City however it was very very graphic. We had young children with us (7 to 12) and while most were OK, my daughter has a minor melt down at the graphic images. Be prepared to answer a lot of hard questions about war, why we have wars, did those people die, why did they kill them, why did we burn them, what is that man holding, etc, etc, etc. I would certianly recommend it but just be prepared, especially if you have sensitive children.
Written 4 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Douglas S
Melbourne, Australia112 contributions
Pretty one-sided, but a good way to learn about it
not exactly renowned for it's fair and balanced viewpoints, but there are some interesting exibits and information regarding the war, agent orange and weaponry. It's a pretty confronting experience at times, but worth checking out while you're in HCMC. Not very expensive, and make sure you drink plenty of water as it's not air conditioned.
Written 28 August 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
travelgid
Voorschoten, The Netherlands48 contributions
Fantastically moving
Shocking photo journalism of the Vietnam / USA war, very upsetting, but important for us to see and remember how terrible war is. There are also some aircraft and vehicles in the forecourt.
Written 5 August 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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