Things to Do at War Remnants Museum
Complete Guide to War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City
About War Remnants Museum
What to See & Do
Agent Orange Exhibit
The museum's most devastating section. Photographs of birth defects spanning three generations of Vietnamese families, medical documentation, and a map showing the 80 million liters of herbicide sprayed between 1961 and 1971. The images are graphic and upsetting. Allow 30 minutes - rushing through dishonors the subject
Requiem Exhibition
Photographs by 134 combat photographers from 11 countries, all of whom died during the conflict. The images are extraordinary - Larry Burrows, Robert Capa, Henri Huet, and dozens of Vietnamese photographers whose work is rarely seen outside Vietnam. The exhibition humanizes both sides in a museum that otherwise doesn't
War Crimes Exhibition
Documentation of the My Lai massacre, carpet bombing campaigns, and prisoner abuse. The presentation is one-sided by design - this is Vietnam's narrative of its own suffering. Some photos are deeply graphic. International visitors should expect a perspective that challenges what they learned in school
Military Equipment Display
The courtyard houses American military hardware: a UH-1 Huey helicopter, F-5 fighter jet, M48 Patton tank, 175mm artillery gun, and a Douglas A-1 Skyraider. The scale of the equipment is striking when you imagine it deployed against rice paddies and bamboo villages. Children climb on some pieces
Prison Exhibit
Reconstructed tiger cages from Con Dao and Phu Quoc prisons in the courtyard behind the main building. Concrete cells barely 1.5 x 2.7 meters with barbed-wire ceilings and lime-powder delivery grates. A French guillotine used during the colonial era stands nearby. The combination of confined space and tropical heat is visceral even as a reconstruction
Practical Information
Opening Hours
Daily 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM (last entry at 5:15 PM). The museum tends to get quite crowded in the late morning and early afternoon.
Tickets & Pricing
40,000 VND for adults (about $1.70 USD). Students with valid ID get a discount. You can pay at the entrance - no advance booking needed.
Best Time to Visit
Early morning (8-9 AM) or late afternoon (4-5 PM) to avoid tour groups. The emotional weight of the exhibits might actually make cooler morning hours preferable.
Suggested Duration
Plan for 2-3 hours minimum. You'll likely need breaks between sections, and rushing through defeats the purpose of being there.
Getting There
Things to Do Nearby
The former presidential palace where South Vietnam's government operated. It's about a 10-minute walk and provides interesting historical context to pair with the museum.
One of Ho Chi Minh City's most atmospheric temples, filled with incense smoke and intricate statues. A completely different but equally moving experience about 15 minutes away.
The city's most famous market for shopping and street food. It's touristy but convenient if you need to decompress with some retail therapy after the museum.
French colonial cathedral that's worth a quick visit, though it's been under renovation. The surrounding area has nice cafes for processing what you've just experienced.