Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine - humble in the midst of bustling Saigon

Noisy Saigon, bustling Saigon. That is what people often say about Saigon. But beyond the noise and bustle, this 300-year-old city still embraces nostalgic values ​​and is truly proud. Let's forget about modern technology and cutting-edge science, and visit a unique private museum in Saigon, which stores medical knowledge from the ancestors of the Vietnamese people.

The Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (TMM) is a private museum, built by the FITO pharmaceutical company in 2007, hidden in a humble corner right next to the bustling restaurants of Ky Hoa area, and less than 500 meters from the crowded Ba Thang Hai street.

From the outside, the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine does not stand out too much on its modest area of ​​about 100 m²with 1 ground floor and 5 floors. It is known that the interior here is taken advantage of from an ancient house in Hanoi. The artisans dismantled the pillars, bricks and stones to bring to Ho Chi Minh City and recreate the traditional interior of an old Vietnamese house. Each brick, roof tile, and pillar is meticulously cared for, along with a painstaking collection of works bearing the mark of long-standing culture and history.

The painstaking collections

As a museum of traditional medicine, of course, this place contains many collections of medicinal herbs known for treating diseases; tools used in the preparation and preservation of medicines; and long-standing medicinal prescriptions such as Chi Bao Don, Minh Mang Thang... All are scientifically arranged with creative and eye-catching displays. Throughout the space of the Museum is the promotion of the role of natural medicinal herbs, as in the proud saying of Zen master Tue Tinh: "Nam Duoc Tri Nam Nhan".

Reenacting history

The space of the Vietnam Traditional Medicine Museum is imbued with history with prehistoric artifacts and images of pharmacies and drug preparation methods that visitors can try themselves, making the visit more interesting.

A notable work of the Museum is a wooden sculpture, showing the names of 100 famous physicians and authors of traditional medicine from the 11th century to the present, such as Tue Tinh, Hai Thuong Lan Ong - Le Huu Trac. The painting is represented by the image of a large tree trunk with strong roots, accompanied by the names of the first physicians who laid the foundation for traditional medicine. As it grows higher, the tree's canopy spreads out, showing the strong development of the medical industry, and at the top, new shoots continue to grow unceasingly. This work is called Bach Gia Y - also known as the Tree of Generations of Vietnamese Physicians, weighing up to 500 kg, completed by many artisans working for many months.

Besides experiencing a nostalgic space, you can also accumulate basic health care knowledge from here. Don’t miss the film screening about traditional medicine, as well as how the body moves according to the five elements and enjoy a cup of hot tea at the end of this interesting tour.

Contact information:

Private Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine

Address: 41 Hoang Du Khuong, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City

Entrance fee: 120,000 VND/adult, 60,000 VND/student, children under 1.2m (including Vietnamese/English commentary)

Opening hours: 8:30 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday

Email: museum@fito.vn

Phone: 0986900267 (Thanh Hang)

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