Hoi An – Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum

The Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum in Hoi An is a unique museum that showcases the diverse cultures and ethnic groups of Vietnam through the lens of renowned French photographer Réhahn Croquevielle.

The museum is located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An and features a collection of hundreds of portraits, 60 traditional costumes, jewellery, musical instruments, tribal songs and stories from 54 different ethnic groups in Vietnam. It’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself and learn about the local culture while you’re travelling around Vietnam.

I visited this museum in 2022 and was amazed at how incredible it was. I wandered around for over an hour. Reading everything and taking it all in. I don’t understand why people aren’t talking more about this place! It’s a must see destination when you’re in Hoi An. (Don’t forget to check out the Vegan Food Guide to Hoi An and the best DIY cycling routes around the town!)

The front section of the museum is the gift shop where you can buy prints, books and postcards of these beautiful photos.

Then you enter into one of the most interesting galleries you’ll ever see. With traditional tribal music playing softly in the background, take your time slowly walking around.

Large portraits adorn the walls with a comprehensive write up of the ethnic group next to it. Traditional costumes, musical instruments and artifacts are scattered around the rooms and there’s a top level accessible by stairs as well as the lower level.

GIVING BACK PROJECT

Incorporated into this art gallery is the Giving Back Project. The photographer’s goal is to create solutions to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in Vietnam. Funding educational projects to keep youth supported in school, community centres and helping the people he has photographed and their communities. Buying something from the gift shop supports the Giving Back Project.

HOW THE PHOTOS WERE OBTAINED

Rehahn the photographer spent up to 48 hours searching for remote villages nestled deep within mountainous regions, where locating them proved to be a challenge due to the absence of directional information.

To reach these isolated communities, Rehahn endured a series of obstacles such as crossing rivers, waiting for 3 years to obtain authorisation to enter restricted areas, getting lost, dealing with keys getting stuck in the ignition, suffering from a sprained ankle, and experiencing motorbike breakdowns in desolate locations.

Upon finally arriving at a village, Rehahn invested his time in actively listening to the elders, with the aid of a translator, and comprehensively documenting their daily existence.

OPENING HOURS, ENTRY PRICES & ADDRESS

The opening hours of the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum in Hoi An, Vietnam is 8am to 8pm every day. It’s also FREE admission.

The address of the Precious Heritage museum is: 26 Đường Phan Bội Châu, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.