Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City Overview

Modernity and tradition come together at the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine and Pharmacy. Located in District 10 of Ho Chi Minh, the museum features more than 3,000 exhibits that date all the way back to the stone age. Herbal concoctions, vessels, wines, shops, scales, cabinets-all find a place in the 16 floors here

A very unique museum, here you get a look into the art of ancient Vietnamese Medicine and its history dating back to the Stone Age. The Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, often called Fito Museum is one of many in a chain of privately owned museums. Spread over 6 floors and 24 rooms, it covers everything from history and sculptures, books, influencers and tools and machinery that were used to make medicines. Vietnamese medicine has heavy Chinese influences, and that is evident in the museum- even its architecture and decor, with red and gold lacquered plaques. It is a very well designed and equipped museum and leaves one with a lot of information about Vietnamese medicine.

Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine Exhibits

Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine has Over 3000 Items Pertaining to
Vietnamese Medicine (Source)

With over 3000 items, the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine covers the art that is Vietnamese medicine, with everything from knives and grinders to advertising boards. Of its 24 rooms, 16 are dedicated to displaying artefacts, and the rest are for various purposes such as worship, souvenir shop, etc. Some of the rooms are dedicated to the Altar of Medicine, Vietnamese Physicians, Cham Tower, Collection of Medicinal Ingredients, Collection of Wine Jars, Tinctures and the Royal Medicinal Academy. Besides a guided tour, and captions on the displays in various languages, the museum often shows a short film "A Century of Healthcare Experiences", which is a very informative documentary on the history of traditional Vietnamese medicine. All in all, it is quite a trip and a very well rounded experience. And the tour of the museum ends with visitors being offered free herbal tea, to round up the visit.

How to Reach Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine

Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine is Located in District 10 of Ho Chi Minh City at 41D, Hoang Du Khuong. You can easily Uber there or even take a taxi (fare is toughly $2 from Ben Thanh Market). The closest bus stops are Nha Hat Hoa Binh and Hoc Vien Hanh Chinh Quoc Gia, accessible by bus numbers 02, 07 and 54. From here, it is about a 10-minute walk to reach the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine.

A one of its kind museum, it is highly recommended that you visit the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine. It is a well equipped and maintained museum and will help you get a closer look at the practices of ancient Vietnam. It is very informative and a fun experience!