Construction of the Museum

      Not far from the office and residence of President   Chi Minh is the museum named after him. It is located on a large plot of land next to the ancient One-Pillar Pagoda. This museum lies within the western area of cultural and historical sites of Ha Noi, which includes West Lake, the Botanical Garden, Ngoc Ha Flower Village, Quan Thanh Temple, and Tran Quoc Pagoda.

      At the museum, the first artifacts seen recall the President's native village where he spent his childhood. Then, there are many objects and memorabilia related to his life of seventy nine years.

     After the President's death in 1969, the construction of a commemorative house and a mausoleum became a great aspiration of the Party, people and army.

     The  Ho  Chi Minh Museum was built with the purpose of preserving invaluable memorabilia associated with Uncle Ho 's simple and modest life. This was to popularize his morality, lifestyle, conduct and thoughts. It was to be built for the present and future generations who would continue hisrevolutionary cause.

       To put this aspiration into reality, over one year after the President's death, the Board in charge of the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Museum was founded to protect, preserve and develop the Presidential Palace as a historical site, and prepare for the construction of the Ho  Chi Minh Museum.

       The Soviet Union's government and people showed their willingness to provide non- refundable aid to the museum's construction in Viet Nam. Much preparatory work was promptly carried out by the USSR - from making designs, forming teams of experts and specialists to doing all the material preparations. Garon Isakovich, the famous architect who played an important role in designing Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum,Monument of Lenin and the Viet Nam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace in Ha Noi, headed the group of professional designers.

       The goal was to build a museum that should be truly Vietnamese, modern, popular and simple. Relying on the experience of constructing the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the museum project was made public to invite people's creativity, especially traditional knowledge of folk architecture. Many contests on architectural designs, exhibitions and polls were held.

       The top leaders of the Party and State of Viet Nam considered the Ho Chi Minh Museum very special work. The Politburo assigned Tnrong Chinh to direct the Museum's contents, and D6 Mum to be in charge of the construction work. To ensure a timely construction schedule, the Government established a steering committee in which the Minister of Construction was the head while other members came from different competent agencies and sectors.

     The final design for the Museum was approved by both Vietnamese and foreign experts, combining the best characteristics of various options. Finally, the construction could begin. On the 95th anniversary of Uncle Hd's birthday (1890-1985), the first pile was driven into the site of the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

       Thousands of large piles were driven deep into the ground by four modem pneumatic hammers. Tens of thousands of tons of special steel were transported from the Soviet Union to Viet Nam. At that time, in the USSR, a decree was issued to prohibit the export of precious building stones. However, to support the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the leaders of the Soviet Union made an exception by allowing stones to be sent to Viet Nam.

        This was a project of national significance. Many Vietnamese factories and businesses assigned their most qualified and skilled employees to work on the construction project. They also supplied their best cement, bricks, timbers, etc. The project became the place for designers, engineers, workers and artisans from all the country to compete. Everyone gave his or her full energy to keep this project on schedule. 

The building began on August 31, 1985. It was inaugurated on May 19, 1990 on the occasion of the
President's 100th birthday anniversary.