Ho Chi Minh City museums embrace after-dark experiences to boost night-time economy

The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City are among the first institutions to pilot artistic performances and immersive programs during full moon nights.

Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, said the department is guiding museums to gradually organize night-time activities to meet the growing demand of residents and tourists seeking new experiences in the city.

In the initial phase, the city will pilot a monthly series of activities called 'Museum Moon' on full-moon nights.

The initiative is meant to gradually build a habit for residents and visitors to experience museums at night.

The extended opening hours are intended to accommodate visitors who only have free time in the evening, while also encouraging greater public engagement with museums.

Nhut emphasized that museums should not be limited to preserving and displaying artifacts, architecture, or urban memory, but they should become cultural spaces where the public can interact with heritage in a variety of ways, in a respectful and appropriate manner, in accordance with regulations.

The initiative will make museums a more integral part of everyday life.

He added that once effective models are established, museums will gradually develop distinctive cultural products, contributing to the diversification of after-dark cultural activities and the development of the city’s cultural industries.

The Museum of Ho Chi Minh City has recently hosted a night-time program titled 'Tea, Cuisine and Essence,' organized in cooperation with the Southeast Asia Tea Research and Development Center.

Guests were treated to dishes prepared by culinary artisan Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van, inspired by tea as the main ingredient, such as Tieu Tu Nha tea salad, Rong Moc tea sticky rice, and Pu’er tea-braised Hericium mushrooms.

Participants enjoyed the dishes alongside tea tasting sessions, while tea master Ngo Thi Thanh Tam shared stories about the origins, culture, and art of tea.

The program aimed to connect and engage tea enthusiasts within a heritage space, highlighting the blend of tradition and modern life.

Doan Thi Trang, director of the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, said the program was a pilot night-time activity. After evaluation, the museum will further refine suitable cultural products for its space.

The long-term goal is to develop the museum into a cultural destination that both preserves urban memory and offers new experiences to residents and visitors.

Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts hosted a music night to launch the 'Museumoon' series designed as a monthly full-moon program.

The program featured well-known artists including Hien Thuc, On Vinh Quang, Phuong Phuong Thao, and Nguyen Dinh Tuan Dung, creating an emotional musical atmosphere within the museum grounds.

The event offered a new way of experiencing museums by combining exhibitions with live music performances.

Before the show, visitors were given time to explore exhibition rooms, take photos, and discover the museum’s historic architecture.

Tran Minh Cong, deputy director in charge of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, said the museum plans to organize quarterly chamber music programs featuring unamplified acoustic performances.

In early July, the museum will collaborate with the Bong Sen Traditional Music and Dance Theater to stage special performances to mark the 50th anniversary of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh, followed by a seminar titled 'The Imprint of Saigon–Ho Chi Minh City Sculpture.'

The Department of Culture and Sports said the city will continue testing and refining different program formats instead of imposing fixed formats, encouraging flexible programs such as tea tasting combined with don ca tai tu (southern folk music), performance arts, themed events, and customized cultural experiences for different visitor groups.

The pilot opening of museums at night is expected to create new opportunities for museum development in the city, contributing to the night-time economy, promoting Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural image, and enriching the cultural life of residents.