Fine Art Museum of Saigon

History of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum

Huu Bon Hoa (1845–1901) was a well-known Vietnamese Chinese businessman in the early twentieth century in Southern Vietnam. At the time, he was the landlord of approximately 20.000 homes throughout the city and was included among the city's top four financially strong men: First Sy, Second Phuong, Third Xuong, and Fourth Hoa. Mr. Hoa's family built the home to fulfill his dying wish: to establish a house where all of his descendants could live together. His family also constructed other notable properties such as the Majestic hotel, Tu Du hospital, Saigon hospital, and Minh Duc secondary school, among others.

Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum

This yellow-white colonial-era palace is inspired by both French and Asian architecture, and its marble floors and big, airy rooms provide a characteristic colonial ambience. Two rows of horizontal dwellings and two rows of vertical buildings form a skylight in the centre of the building, which has a well-matched pattern. Visitors are impressed by the mansion's yellow painted walls, which are 40-60 cm thick, French-style balconies, lengthy halls, arched doors for natural light, 99 doors with various architectural styles, Yin-yang tile roofs, and porcelain Gaulois rooster statues.

The first elevator to be built in Saigon is a luxury jewel that can be found just beyond the main entrance. Although the elevator was designed by a European company, the cabin was made of wood and fashioned to seem like a royal palanquin.

All of his ancestors immigrated to other countries after the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1975. In 1987, the structure was converted into a museum, which now houses over 20,000 objects and artworks.

Exhibits of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum

On the first floor, notable local artists' masterpieces depicting culture and life, as well as breathtaking landscapes, were on display. The lacquer painting "Spring Garden: Central, South, North" by artist Nguyen Gia Tri is one of the most impressive pieces. It is the artist's most time-consuming work (1969–1999), measuring 200 x 540 cm and designated as a national treasure in 2013.

The second floor features contemporary art influenced by the Vietnam War. The primary subjects on this floor are "Modern Arts" and "Arts after 1975."
A sculpture and picture space are located on the third floor, where valuable ancient statues and abstract paintings are displayed.

Opening hours of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum

The museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Monday), and admission is 30,000 VND. The attraction attracts a large number of tourists who come to see and photograph it because of its unusual architecture.

The Fine Arts Museum, along with other sights such as the Saigon Central Post Office, Independence Palace, and Reunification Palace, is a must-see in Ho Chi Minh City because of its historical and cultural significance.