Ao Dai Museum (Bao Tang Ao Dai)

Ao Dai Museum (Bao Tang Ao Dai)

Ao Dai Museum (Bao Tang Ao Dai)
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Duration: 1-2 hours
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles34 reviews
Excellent
16
Very good
12
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3
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2

OneLena
Singapore, Singapore204 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
Location: about 30-45 min Grab ride from the city. In the middle of nowhere. Grab driver relied on GPS the whole time. Signage near the place is very small.

Exhibits: small collection of Ao Dai over the years. Not well maintained. Ao Dai rental is overrated. The selection is plain and boring. Buildings on the grounds are few. Pond in the middle breeds mosquitoes. I did get bitten!

I took my time walking around and spent an hour there. If quick, about 20 min is enough.

To get back into town, you need to walk about 700m out to the main road and cross over to the bus stop. Take bus 88 for VND6000 to go all the way to Ben Thanh bus terminal. There are absolutely no other transport options available as the place is really remote. The ticket counter staff drove me out to the bus stop on her motorbike, which I really appreciated!
Written 12 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oh W
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Friends
The place is very boring, most people come here for photos. Seems like they don't take care of the place. I wanted to rent the Ao Dai but I felt gross when I came choose the pants for the Ao dai. They all looked dirty, I don't think they washed them at all. The lady at the rental place was not helpful, she just tried to get you rent the clothes.
I didn't learn any useful information about the history of Ao Dai, just random stuff there. The exhibition room smell bad.
No recommend this place.
Written 3 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bj R
Da Nang, Vietnam117 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2015 • Solo
Words cannot give this place justice. The museum is located about 40 minutes outside Ho Chi Minh City on the way to Bien Hoa. Take Highway 1 and just before the Dong Nai river bridge is Nguyen Xien Road. Stay on Nguyen Xien road to Long Thaun Road. Take Long Thaun Road until you see a sign for Bao Tang Ao Dai (300 meters). The last 300 meters is down a dirt/gravel road. It is a trip that is well worth it.

The museum sits on about 16,000 sq. meters of land. Has numerous old buildings, and and a couple man-made lakes/ponds. It is also a very beautiful and peaceful escape from the bustle of the city. The grounds are meticulously maintained. There is a small restaurant on site, or you can bring your own picnic and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. It is open from 8:30 am until 5:30 pm daily, except Mondays. Entrance fee is 100,000 dong per person for the day. There are also 3 villas on the property that you can rent for between $30 and $100 dollars per night. It is also possible to rent the entire facility for an event such as a wedding or private party.

Tour guides (who speak some English) will guide you through the different exhibits on the grounds if you wish. There are exhibits on the history of women's undergarments, modern ao dai worn by celebrities, ancient pottery exhibit, and a history of ao dai designs and patterns with explanation placards in Vietnamese and English.

I was welcomed here for the museum's first Ao Dai fashion show. The fashion show included traditional ao dai to more modern designs and prints. The director told me they are planning more events in the future.

But, the allure of this place is not just the amazing collection of ao dai, it is also the beauty and serenity of the grounds. This place is a photographer's paradise with countless photo ops. This is truly an escape from the city and a trip outside hustle and bustle of the city that is well worth it.
Written 20 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The_Pale_Ridah
Gladesville, Australia1,956 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Couples
The Vietnamese Ao Dai is no ordinary dress, it is often commented that it not only displays a Vietnamese woman’s femininity but is also admired for its subtle expression of a Vietnamese woman’s grace….more precisely, it's made from silk-thin material & outlines a woman’s slender arms, hips & rear end, what man would'nt like it? In a sea of people whether in Vietnam or abroad, in a crowd of hundreds of faces, a young woman wearing a Vietnamese Ao Dai stands out radiating Vietnamese sexiness.

Si Hoang, one of the most well renowned traditional dress designers in Vietnam has opened the country’s very first Ao Dai Museum (Bao Tang Ao Dai) showcasing the distinctive national dress of Vietnam, known for being sexy without the smut - allowing women to manipulate their husbands & boyfriends to control their miserable lives. On display are the Ao Dai dresses of a mix of influential Vietnamese women from royalty, political figures, mountain tribes & actresses. This is significant as Vietnamese women move from the rice fields to the urban jungles to dominate the modern workforce, television & social media. Feminism, as a social & political movement is weak in Vietnam but Vietnamese women are no second class citizens, just look towards any Vietnamese woman in your neighbourhood, she is usually the boss-lady & can be heard around the evening shouting at somebody. Si Hoang’s museum is a champion of Vietnamese women's achievements...& also their slim bodies.

Inspired by Japanese kimono museums, the Ao Dai dresses are displayed in a dark room to highlight the dresses on display under lighting. The displays are nicely presented with the dresses suspended in mid-air via strings with arms spread outwards to give a detailed view of the patterns & designs. Foreigners will obviously have little emotional attachment or any vested interest to such clothing but consider what power your favourite jeans have on foolish men. I found myself thinking about these historical Vietnamese women who wore this simple attire whilst commanding great power & influence all without having to expose their breast or wear high heels…..& to think Kim Kardashian is this generations female role model, how far has the human race fallen?

The interior hall of the Ao Dai Museum is long & straight much like a rural stilt house which also helps to naturally cool the room. The polished roof beams & canopy comprising of wooden logs typical of a jungle dwelling which has a very rustic feel in this museum. The hall was very atmospheric with low-level lighting, setting a soft ambience for a museum. There is also a large ancient Dong Son bronze drum which dates back several thousand years which is just sitting decoratively in the middle of the hallway without any protection & free to touch. I realised how influential & rich Si Hoang must be to have such an artefact found in many cultural museums in South East Asia. There is a no shoe policy much like walking in a Japanese house. Within the grounds of the Ao Dai Museum is a large separate exhibition hall for Si Hoang’s design shows which is dominated by one of Si Hoang’s most prized embroidery’s, a huge 5 metre wall-sized handmade tapestry representing the mythical story of Vietnam’s creation. The legend tells the story about the dragon lord & his wife a fairy goddess. The story describes how their children became the ancestors of the 100 Vietnamese clans that represent the family names which make up the people of Vietnam. The manicured museum grounds themselves are extremely lush. There is also a lovely wooden house which houses traditional men’s-style Ao Dai however modern Vietnamese men rarely wear such things & so the collection is understandably thin but the house is magnificent in design. The fine wood workmanship & the quality of wood used gave me a glimpse of what having money in Vietnam can buy. Obviously Japanese inspired, the peaceful garden features a large lake, pavilion, lush grass & rustic wooden benches. To be honest I would gladly pay money just to sit around here in peace.

Located in District 9 about 45 mins on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City by taxi, away from the concrete jungles & in a more rural setting, Si Hoang’s Ao Dai museum is located on the grounds of his own private home just down the road from a large TV studio set. Entry is 100,000 VND per person or 30,000 per student, if enquiring at the Si Hoang store in Saigon you can get in free if looking to order one of the custom-made designer dresses.
Written 10 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

waget
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia386 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2017 • Friends
went with friends. it is quite surprising to see a museum that is amidst paddy fields but it does give you a different feel and a good drive out of the city's chaos and madness. it is best to call in advance so an english speaking guide can be arranged. there is a good display of ao dai focusing on the history of the dress. they even have a room for undergarments as well and a room for conical hats and traditional shoes. it was nice of them to think of small kids designing ao dais and they do sell dolls with those designs by kids.

i wish they have some refreshments that can be bought as it was a hot day when we visited. also, it would be good if an ao dai can be purchased or made to deliver ...
Written 29 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hoai My W
Ayase, Japan331 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2016 • Couples
This museum was part of the fee we paid to get a bird's eye view of HCM city. Because of that I can overlook how small it really was with only about 10 displays and a short history video.
Written 3 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NHM2012
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam46 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2015 • Friends
Not many tourists know this place, it is good for someone who loves Vietnamese "Ao Dai" history. Staffs are very friendly and helpfull. Nice place to relax.
Written 19 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Holly E
11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2015 • Friends
As a fashion student I can't give this place justice. Utterly amazing from an educational perspective and simply beautiful and serene from a tourist perspective. If you have any interest in fashion or Vietnamese culture, go.
Written 14 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nishaabm
Singapore, Singapore9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2017 • Business
The performance showcasing the Aodai, the history of Vietnam and the ethnic minority cultures was simply fabulous! A very engaging way of understanding Vietnamese history and the Aodai, that no museum will be able to match. I applaud the conception of the theme and the choreography of the people behind the show. Very high standards, great service and beautiful homely ambience. It provides a multi-sensory experience, engaging audience our eyes, ears, touch, taste and smell. It was like being in an opera that combines the educational dimension of a museum. Highly recommended for any visitor interested in culture and entertainment in Vietnam!
I thank my host Ms. Nguyen Thanh Van for giving me this absolutely fascinating experience that is so memorable!
Written 29 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

L Travels
11 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Friends
Visited this museum yesterday - was a delightful way to spend an hr or so away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Something that surprised me was the size of the estate - the building that displays all the ao dai is an airy barn with both Vietnamese & english descriptions, and is amongst a beautiful garden/park setting. Visitors are able to hire ao dai and take photos amongst the gardens - very picturesque with a lake, small boats, small bridges... lots of young people around taking beautiful photos. A little run down but still plenty of rustic charm.
Getting there way easy enough - we took a grab car which was around $300,000 VND from Sofitel Hotel and was driven up to the gate of the museum. On the way back we felt a little more adventurous and took the bus back - was a little tricky as no proper bus stop but with some directions from the staff from the museum we were able to stand in the right place (at the t-intersection on the main road/turn off for the museum) and flag down a bus (no. 88). Much cheaper at $6,000 VND a ticket back to HCMC and great experience seeing local life on a bus.
Written 25 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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AO DAI MUSEUM (BAO TANG AO DAI) (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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