The Museum of Fine Arts

The Saigon Museum of Fine Arts has an impressive collection, but the building itself is something of a work of art as well. Originally built as a villa for the wealthy Hua family in 1929. The building was designed by a French architect, and is one of the most beautiful old buildings in District 1. Although it had fallen into a state of slight disrepair, the old villa was re-purposed in the 1980s to house the city's museum of fine arts, considered second only to the National Museum of Fine Arts in Hanoi.

Museum of Fine Arts

Although the old mansion has been redesigned into an art museum, many of the original fittings and fixtures were preserved. A particular favorite of mine is the original 1920s-era box elevator.

antique elevator

The museum boasts a great collection of ancient Buddhist artifacts, but the biggest exhibits are those of 20th-century art. Modern Vietnamese art is heavily influenced by both traditional rural life and the many wars that the country underwent during the 19th and 20th centuries.

art influenced by the war

The museum is located in District 1, the center of the city, and also the area where Pinky and I are staying during our time in HCMC. It was just a short walk along the wide, busy roads jammed with motorbikes to the old villa, which offered us a quiet place of peace and tranquility in the busy heart of Ho Chi Minh City.

inner courtyard

The museum has tried hard to preserve a lot of the original architecture, most impressively the original stained glass! It adds some color and a unique atmosphere to the exhibits.

modern art

Late 20th-century art highlights martyrs and heroes, workers, and the atrocities of war. A country's art is definitely very reflective of its culture, and modern Vietnam is heavily influenced by its war years.

war-era art

Even outside of the old villa, there's plenty of cool art to see. The surrounding grounds have lots of interesting statues.

heroic statue

We've already been in Ho Chi Minh City for a few weeks, but I don't feel like we've gotten to know the city yet at all. We lost some time with my catching a cold and the daily heavy monsoon rains. This is such a big city too, and it's hard to get around. Mostly we've been staying in District 1.

interior

The city is currently constructing a metro, which will make visiting HCMC a lot easier in the future. I actually really like the city! Although most of the cultural and historical sites are in Hanoi, making it the more interesting place to visit, Ho Chi Minh City is probably the nicer place to live. It's a more developed and modern city with lots of international businesses and expats.

spiral staircase

We've still got a few weeks left in Vietnam before we will head back to Bangkok for a while. I hope to see some more of the city before we go. It's been a really great and interesting three months, and I wouldn't trade them for anything!

beautiful interior with stained glass

It's still rainy, and the sky was dark and heavy again as we left the museum. Fortunately, Museum Coffee was there to save the day and keep us dry!

rest time

Inside the warm, dry coffee shop, we sat down for another cup of that delicious Vietnamese iced coffee. I love the stuff! Vietnam, more than anything, has made me into something of a coffee drinker!

a delicious cup of iced coffee on a dark, rainy day