Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities: A Timeless Archive of Nguyen Dynasty Artifacts

Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities (also known as the Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts) is renowned for showcasing an exquisite array of artifacts from the Nguyen Dynasty – Vietnam’s last imperial Dynasty. Visitors can admire royal treasures such as the emperor’s throne and intricate sculptures. Let’s explore more about the history, location, and cultural significance of the museum in the sections below.

1. Location And Ways to Get to Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities

The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities is located at 03 Le Truc Street, Phu Hau Ward, Hue City, within the complex of the Imperial Citadel. The museum spans approximately 6,330 square meters, with the central structure is Long An Palace covering 1,185 square meters. Nestled amidst peaceful gardens and traditional Vietnamese architecture, the museum enjoys a prime location surrounded by heritage-rich landmarks and a tranquil atmosphere perfect for historical exploration.

From Hue city center, the museum is about 1.5 kilometers away, making it conveniently accessible by various transport options:

• Motorbike: Ride with a local motorbike driver, estimated cost about 50,000 - 80,000 VND/ride (USD 2 - USD 3); or rent a motorbike and self-drive, estimated cost about 120,000 VND - 150,000 VND/day (USD 5 - USD 6).
• Taxi: A standard taxi ride from central Hue to the museum typically ranges from 80,000 VND - 100,000 VND (USD 3 - USD 4), depending on traffic and pickup location. The drive takes approximately 5 - 10 minutes.

Because it is located right in the city center, the Hue Museum of Royal Antiques is very easy to reach

2. Opening Hours And Entrance Fees of Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities

The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities is open to visitors daily from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, offering ample time for guests to explore its rich collection of royal artifacts and cultural treasures. Entrance fees are as follows:

• Adults: 50,000 VND (around USD 2)
• Children (age 7 - 12): Free of charge

For those interested in a broader cultural experience, a combo ticket that includes access to both the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities and the nearby An Dinh Palace is available at a discounted rate of 80,000 VND (around USD 3) and is free for children.

Every day, a large number of tourists visit the museum (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

3. Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities Highlights: Historic Legacy And Exhibit Areas

Stepping into the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities is like entering a living archive of Vietnam. The museum is not only a repository of exquisite artifacts from the Nguyen Dynasty but also a heritage reflecting the profound historical and cultural values of the ancient capital, Hue, much like the grand mausoleum of emperor Minh Mang showcases the architectural prowess of the era.

3.1. A Glimpse into The Past of The Museum

The main exhibition hall of the Museum of Royal Antiquities of Hue is housed in Long An Palace, an exquisite royal architecture built in 1845 under Emperor Thieu Tri. Originally part of Bao Dinh Palace near the Imperial Citadel, it served as the king’s personal retreat, a place for reading, composing poetry, and quiet reflection after state rituals like the Tich Dien ceremony.

Following the emperor’s death, his body was placed here for eight months before burial. In 1885, after the fall of the capital, Long An Palace suffered severe damage under French occupation. Until 1909, during Emperor Duy Tan’s reign, the structure was dismantled and rebuilt at its current location on Le Truc Street, preserving much of its original architectural integrity.

From its new role as the library of the Quoc Tu Giam (Imperial Academy), Long An Palace was officially transformed in 1923 into the Khai Dinh Museum, one of Vietnam’s first modern museums. Today, it continues its legacy as the Museum of Royal Antiquities, offering visitors a rare look into the opulent world of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Step back in time at the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities, home to over a century of imperial treasures and history (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

3.2. Long An Palace

At the center of the Museum of Royal Antiquities stands Long An Palace, a monumental example of Nguyen Dynasty architecture and artistic refinement. Long An Palace covers a total area of 1,185 square meters. It is the emotional and cultural heart of royal Hue, where emperors once retreated to reflect, compose poetry, and engage with the scholarly arts.

The palace is designed in the “trung thiem diep oc” style – a traditional architectural layout of two interconnected buildings with overlapping, cascading roofs that reflect grandeur and harmony. The structure is rectangular, measuring 35.7 meters in length and 28 meters in width, raised on a 1.1 meter high stone platform made of finely cut blue stone. The tiled roof spans an impressive 1,750 square meters, resting atop a sophisticated framework supported by 128 solid ironwood columns.

"Trung thiem diep oc" is a type of double-roof house architecture built on a single foundation, representing a traditional Vietnamese architectural style

The front hall consists of seven bays with eight sets of an elaborate beam and bracket system typical of royal buildings. The main hall at the back has five bays with six sets demonstrating fine craftsmanship and structural elegance.

What distinguishes Long An Palace from other palatial buildings is its aesthetic restraint, unlike most royal halls, there is no “son son thep vang” (lacquer and gilding). Instead, the natural wood is left bare and enhanced with intricate carvings of traditional motifs such as "luong long trieu nguyet" (two dragons flanking a moon) and the four sacred beasts – “long” (dragon), “lan” (qilin), “quy” (turtle), and “phuong” (phoenix).

The wooden pillars are intricately carved with dragon motifs and incorporate the sacred symbols of the dragon, unicorn, tortoise and phoenix(Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

Most remarkable is the interior’s role as a museum of royal poetry. Along the wooden beams, walls, and decorative panels, over 100 Chinese-character poems penned by Emperor Thieu Tri are meticulously engraved.

Of particular note are two poetic masterpieces, Vu Trung Son Thuy (Landscape in Rain) and Phuoc Vien Van Hoi Luong Da Man Ngam (A Night of Poetry at Phuoc Vien). Both are composed in a rare "hoi van kiem lien hoan" format, a poetic style that allows the 56-character poems to be read in multiple directions, forming up to 64 different compositions.

Two poems are exquisitely engraved and inlaid with mother-of-pearl on the wooden panels of the temple walls (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

3.3. Outside The Palace

Beyond the exquisite architecture, the Museum of Royal Antiquities of Hue unfolds into a vast cultural treasury – the richest and most comprehensive collection of Nguyen Dynasty artifacts in Vietnam. Despite the losses caused by war and political upheavals, the museum today conserves and exhibits around 9,000 royal objects and nearly 100 Cham relics.

These invaluable artifacts span a wide range of materials and functions, most originating from the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 - 1945) and the earlier Nguyen Lords period, with several relating specifically to the Phu Xuan, Hue region. Carefully categorized into 17 thematic collections, the museum offers a vivid and multidimensional portrayal of Vietnam’s imperial court life, beliefs, aesthetics and ceremonial practices.

Around 9,000 priceless royal treasures are on display at the museum (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

Among the thousands of invaluable relics, many have been officially recognized as National Treasures of Vietnam, including:

• Personal imperial belongings: The imperial throne, royal robes, dragon bed, court shoes, tea trays, antique cosmetic boxes.
• Ceremonial instruments: dragon palanquins, bronze drums, and ritual offering trays used during major court ceremonies and rites.
• Administrative and literary documents: royal edicts, imperial decrees, ancient manuscripts, and photographs of Nguyen emperors and mandarins – showcasing the bureaucratic and cultural life of the Dynasty.
• Royal board games: at least 5 preserved sets of “dau ho” (throw the dart into the mouth of the jar), 4 of which are exclusive artifacts of the museum, reflecting the refined leisure activities of the royal court.
• Ceramics collection (over 3,700 pieces), diverse in form and origin: Unglazed pottery, celadon wares, and brown-glazed ceramics from the Ly - Tran dynasties (11th - 14th centuries), etc.
• Ancient currency collection: Gold bars and coinage from the royal treasury, the rare “Song Long” (Twin Dragons) coin from the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri (1841 - 1847), these items provide researchers and visitors with deeper insight into imperial economics and everyday Vietnamese life during the Nguyen era.

Royal treasures from the Khai Dinh era gilded with gold (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

Items exclusively used by the former Emperor and royal family (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

Glazed porcelain originating from various dynasties and countries (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

Moreover, tucked away within the museum grounds is a smaller but significant storehouse of 86 Champa artifacts, collected from the former Cham regions of Chau O and Chau Ly. Many were excavated from Tra Kieu in 1927 and include rare sculptural relics, now regarded as priceless cultural heritage of ancient Champa.

86 artifacts from the Champa sculpture collection are currently preserved at the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

4. Essential Tips for First-Time Visitors

Before you step into the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities, it’s helpful to keep a few essential tips in mind to ensure a respectful, enriching, and smooth experience, especially for first-time visitors. These notes will help you better appreciate the museum's cultural depth while preserving its historical integrity:

• Check for exhibitions and cultural events beforehand: The museum hosts thematic events like “One Destination - Five Heritages”, “Capitals of Vietnam through Historical Periods”, providing deeper insights into Vietnam's royal history and heritage.
• Walk with care inside the museum: The museum houses fragile, centuries-old royal artifacts. Walking mindfully not only shows respect for the heritage but also helps prevent accidental damage to these invaluable items.
• Do not bring prohibited or hazardous items: For safety and preservation reasons, visitors are strictly prohibited from bringing sharp objects, flammable materials, or food and drink into the museum.
• Limit photography and videography inside the palace: Photography may be restricted, especially in areas like Long An Palace where light exposure can damage delicate artifacts. Avoid filming or taking flash photos inside unless signage allows it.

>>> See more: Thuy Xuan Incense-Making Village: 700 Years of Hue’s Fragrant Craftsmanship.Thuy Xuan Incense-Making Village: 700 Years of Hue’s Fragrant Craftsmanship.

The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities regularly hosts events with historical themes (Source: Hue Royal Antiquities Museum- Bảo tàng Cổ vật Cung đình Huế)

5. Attractions within 2km of The Museum That You Shouldn’t Miss

After exploring the rich legacy at the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities, visitors are encouraged to extend their journey with several nearby landmarks that reflect the unique charm and deep-rooted culture of Hue. Located within a 2-kilometer radius, these destinations offer a perfect combination of history, daily life, and natural beauty. For those seeking a spiritual experience, the historic Tu Dam pagoda Hue is also within easy reach. Let’s explore how each of these nearby attractions can complete your cultural experience in Hue.

5.1. Hue Imperial City (700m)

Just 700 meters from the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities lies the Hue Imperial City, the former seat of power during the Nguyen Dynasty. This UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases a vast complex of palaces, temples, ancient gates, and royal courtyards. Architecturally majestic and historically rich, it offers visitors a unique opportunity to walk through the heart of Vietnam’s last feudal monarchy. Highlights include the Noon Gate (Ngo Mon), Thai Hoa Palace, and the Forbidden Purple City, each reflecting the elegance and authority of imperial life.

Hue Imperial City features palaces that once housed the royal family,and administrative offices for officials of the Nguyen Dynasty (Source: Pexels)

5.2. Dong Ba Market (1km)

Dong Ba Market, situated 1 kilometer from the museum, is Hue’s most iconic traditional market, brimming with local life and cultural richness. Established during the colonial period, it retains a nostalgic architectural style and remains a bustling hub for both residents and tourists. Here, you can sample Hue’s culinary specialties, browse local handicrafts, and immerse yourself in the vibrant daily rhythm of the city.

Dong Ba Market is one of the iconic symbols of the ancient capital, Hue

5.3. Perfume River (1.8km)

Located about 1.8 kilometers from the museum, the Perfume River is the poetic soul of Hue. Known for its calm, emerald waters and scenic beauty, the river has inspired countless works of literature and art. A visit here offers more than just picturesque views, you can take a leisurely boat cruise, especially in the evening and enjoy traditional Hue folk songs performed live on board. The river also leads to several spiritual and historical landmarks such as Thien Mu Pagoda and Hon Chen Temple, making it a culturally enriching experience.

The Perfume River is often likened to the "muse" of Hue for its serene and tranquil beauty (Source: Pexels)

The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities stands as a living testament to Vietnam’s imperial legacy, preserving the essence of Nguyen Dynasty culture through its remarkable collection of royal artifacts and historic architecture. Every corner of the museum offers a glimpse into the grandeur and refinement of a bygone era. The museum is a must-visit destination for those seeking to connect deeply with Vietnamese history and heritage, making it one of the essential things to do in Hue Vietnam.

Discover more fascinating local dishes and travel tips on the official Vietnam Airlines website to elevate your cultural journey even further.