The War Remnants Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. I live nearby and always notice that it’s consistently busy, with tour buses dropping people off and lines in front of the ticket booth.
🏨 Mai House Saigon (see on Agoda / Booking): one of my favorite hotels in HCMC. Located in District 3, five minutes from the War Remnants Museum
🏨 G8 Diamond Hotel (see on Agoda / Booking): a budget hotel in District 3, five minutes from the museum
🎟️ Tours & Activities: this Cu Chi Tunnels tour and HCMC Airport Fast-Track Service
I visited the War Remnants Museum again recently for new photos and up-to-date information. The museum is included in my sample itineraries for Ho Chi Minh City — one day and three days. If you visit, plan to spend around one to two hours here, though some people have spent several hours.
The other popular attraction in HCMC is the Independence Palace. If you have any questions about visiting the museum or any other things to do in HCMC, ask in my free Ho Chi Minh City travel planning group on Facebook.
War Remnants Museum Visitor Info
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily (last admission at 5 PM)
- Location: Google Maps
- Tickets: 40.000 VND (adults), 15.000 VND (ages 6-15), FREE (under 6)
- Audio guide: 80.000 VND each
- More info: Official website
- Can pay with cash or card
- Three floors of exhibits
- Bathrooms on every floor
- Elevators
- Coffee shop in the courtyard
- Friendly staff around
- Souvenir shops inside
- Air conditioning in some exhibits
- Plan to spend around 1 to 2 hours
- A lot of graphic and emotional imagery
War Remnants Museum Location
The War Remnants Museum is on the corner of Vo Van Tan and Le Quy Don streets in District 3 here. This is a very convenient and walkable area. If you stay in District 3 or nearby in District 1, you’ll be able to walk to the museum. I’ve written a separate guide to the best areas to stay in HCMC.
If you don’t want to walk or are a bit further out, hiring a Grab taxi is easy and cheap. You can download the app here. You can add your credit card to the app or pay with cash and have the driver drop you off right at the museum. Read more about getting around HCMC here.
In addition to my two recommendations above, the Victory Hotel Saigon (see on Agoda / Booking) is a budget hotel in a great location in District 3, about two minutes from the museum. The Hotel des Arts Saigon (see on Agoda / Booking) is one of the best hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, and it’s 10 minutes away in District 3.
Is the War Remnants Museum Worth Visiting?
Honestly — yes and no. If you’re in HCMC, I think the museum is worth visiting. It’s in a convenient location, easily reached by walking, and it only costs 40.000 VND.
BUT, the subject material is not for everyone. Although the Independence Palace is tied to the Vietnam War, too, it’s not as “in your face” as the War Remnants Museum. There are some emotional exhibits inside the museum.
The palace is much bigger than the museum, and it’s a nice attraction to wander and explore. I can’t exactly say the same about the museum — it’s a much heavier experience. But if you’re interested in the subject matter and prepared for graphic displays, the War Remnants Museum is worth visiting.
The museum is clean and well-maintained. There are elevators and bathrooms on each of the museum’s three floors. The courtyard of the museum has a coffee shop, and there’s also a vending machine selling cold drinks inside the museum.
Some of the exhibits have a mixture of air conditioning and fans. It’s not too hot otherwise, as the museum has somewhat of an open-air design. I’ve written about other museums in HCMC here.
Visiting the War Remnants Museum
The Ground Floor
The ground floor of the museum consists of the outside courtyard and the lowest floor of the actual museum. The courtyard has tanks, aircraft, and large military weapons, a Con Dao Prison exhibit, and another exhibit called “Imprisonment System During the Vietnam War.”
The open-air coffee shop is also outside here.
Inside the museum, on the ground floor, there is an area for temporary exhibits and a permanent exhibit titled “The World Supports Vietnam in its Resistance to U.S. Aggression 1954 – 1975.”
There are also souvenir shops, bathrooms, and a vending machine.
The First Floor
The first floor (upstairs from the ground level) of the museum has the War Crimes exhibit, the Agent Orange Effects exhibit, and an area for temporary exhibits, which, when I visited, featured a collection of children’s drawings about soldiers and war.
There is another bathroom up here, too.
The Second Floor
The second floor has the Requiem exhibit, which displays photographs by war correspondents who died in action in Indochina. There is also the Vietnam War and Peace exhibit, featuring photos by Bunyo Ishikawa, the Agent Orange During the Vietnam War exhibit, and the Historical Truths exhibit.
There is also another bathroom.
The Requiem exhibit connects to the Vietnam War and Peace exhibit and the Agent Orange During the Vietnam War exhibit.
Looking to get a snapshot of a picture of my brother in law that I was told is in the museum. It was taken by UPI photographer Dana Stone.
Pfc Michael Dembesky U S Army dragging a wounded Viet Cong soldier. Taken in A Loa Valley South Viet NAm on August 21 either 1966 or 1967.
been there yesterday and 1.5 hours is just not enough if one is to understand and immerse in the history. i spent a little over 4 hours and still was already running through Level 2. i wished i had more time. a whole day would be appropriate. thanks for the heads up. it is truly graphic but to know and feel what actually happened, a person has to go see them.
Great, thanks for sharing your experience! Nice to hear that people visit the War Remnants Museum, take their time, and absorb the information and exhibits. TY!