Vietnam Military History Museum 2026: Tickets and Guide

The Vietnam Military History Museum (Bảo tàng Lịch sử Quân sự Việt Nam) is Vietnam’s national military museum, reopened in November 2024 on a 38.66-hectare site at Km 6+500 Thang Long Avenue, about 13–15 km west of central Hanoi. It displays over 150,000 artefacts, including MiG-21 fighters, tanks and B-52 wreckage. Tickets cost 40,000 VND; closed Mondays and Fridays.

Status (checked October 2026): open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30; closed on Mondays and Fridays. The old museum on Dien Bien Phu Street, next to the Hanoi Flag Tower, has closed; the collection is now at the new Thang Long Avenue site, where tickets are 40,000 VND (free for under-16s).

Why the Vietnam Military History Museum is worth seeing:

Vietnam’s biggest military collection: more than 150,000 artefacts covering resistance and wars from ancient times to 1975 and after.
National treasures: MiG-21 fighters No. 4324 and No. 5121 and T-54B tank No. 843, all recognised as national treasures.
The B-52 wreckage: remains of a B-52 bomber shot down over Hanoi in December 1972, displayed outdoors.
Modern displays: 3D mapping of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, touchscreens, QR codes and more than 60 video clips.
Monumental architecture: a 45-metre Victory Tower and a huge outdoor exhibition ground.

Vietnam Military History Museum at a Glance

Vietnamese name	Bảo tàng Lịch sử Quân sự Việt Nam
Location	Km 6+500 Thang Long Avenue, Xuan Phuong Ward (formerly Nam Tu Liem district), Hanoi
Distance	About 13–15 km west of Hoan Kiem Lake (30–45 minutes by car); about 8 km from the Museum of Ethnology
Known for	MiG-21 fighters, tanks, B-52 wreckage, Dien Bien Phu 3D mapping, Victory Tower
Recognition	National museum of the Ministry of National Defence; founded 1956, new site opened 1 November 2024
Opening hours	8:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30; closed Mondays and Fridays
Entrance fee	40,000 VND (about US$1.50); free for under-16s and over-80s; 50% off for students and over-60s
Time needed	2–3 hours
Best time	Weekday mornings (Tuesday–Thursday); dry season October–April for the outdoor area
Nearby	Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, My Dinh area, Keangnam Landmark 72
Find it	Google Maps · Wikipedia

Is the Vietnam Military History Museum Worth Visiting?

Yes, if you are interested in military history or the Vietnam War; less so if you are short on time. The new museum is huge, modern and impressive, with real aircraft and tanks you can walk around. The catch is the location: it is now well outside the centre, so it needs a half-day and a taxi or private car, and it is closed two days a week.

Best for: history and aviation enthusiasts, veterans, families with older children and travellers who have already seen the central sights.
Skip if: you have only one or two days in Hanoi; the central Hoa Lo Prison Museum covers the war years in a much shorter visit.
Short on time: focus on the outdoor display (aircraft, tanks, B-52 wreckage) and the Dien Bien Phu and 1975 galleries, about 1.5 hours.

Wide view of the new Vietnam Military History Museum complex and grounds, Hanoi — The vast new museum complex, with outdoor exhibition grounds around the main building. Photo: Nikken Sekkei LTD, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

History of the Vietnam Military History Museum

From the Flag Tower to Thang Long Avenue

The museum was founded on 17 July 1956 and opened to the public on 21 December 1959 at 28A Dien Bien Phu Street in Ba Dinh, beside the 19th-century Hanoi Flag Tower. For decades it was known as the Army Museum, with a famous yard of aircraft and tanks. The site was too small for the growing collection, so a new national museum was built on Thang Long Avenue over about five years.

The new museum (2024)

The new Vietnam Military History Museum opened on 1 November 2024, with free entry until the end of the year, and drew huge crowds. The site covers 38.66 hectares, with a main exhibition building about 35.8 metres tall and a 45-metre stone Victory Tower. The old Dien Bien Phu Street site was handed over at the end of 2024 to become part of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long heritage area. A paid ticket of 40,000 VND was introduced in 2025 and the fee was formalised by the Ministry of Finance in Circular 90/2025/TT-BTC.

What to See at the Vietnam Military History Museum

1. The outdoor exhibition ground

More than 20,000 m² of outdoor space holds aircraft, helicopters, tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery. Among them are captured US and South Vietnamese equipment such as A-37 and A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, UH-1 “Huey” helicopters and M113 armoured personnel carriers, alongside Soviet-built T-34 and T-54 tanks and anti-aircraft guns.

2. The B-52 wreckage

The remains of a B-52 Stratofortress shot down during the 12 days and nights of bombing in December 1972 (known in Vietnam as “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the Air”) are laid out with its bombs. It is one of the most photographed exhibits.

3. MiG-21 fighters No. 4324 and No. 5121

Two MiG-21s are national treasures. No. 5121 is linked to the defence of Hanoi in December 1972, and No. 4324 is credited by Vietnam with a large number of US aircraft shot down. Their stories are told in Vietnamese and English.

MiG-21 fighter jet on display at the Vietnam Military History Museum, Hanoi — A MiG-21 fighter, one of the aircraft in the museum’s collection. Photo: Adam Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

4. T-54B tank No. 843

Tank 843, a national treasure, is one of the tanks that reached the Independence Palace in Saigon on 30 April 1975, the moment that ended the war.

5. Indoor galleries

The main building tells Vietnam’s military history in themed galleries, from early resistance against northern dynasties through the wars against France and the United States to the defence of the borders and seas. Highlights include the Dien Bien Phu campaign shown with 3D mapping on a giant sand table, photographs, uniforms, letters and personal belongings of soldiers.

6. The Victory Tower

The 45-metre stone tower symbolises the 1945 August Revolution and independence, and is the landmark of the new site. It replaces, in symbolic terms, the old Flag Tower that stood next to the former museum.

Vietnam Military History Museum Tickets and Opening Hours (2026)

Item	Details
Standard ticket	40,000 VND per person per visit (about US$1.50)
Free	Children under 16, people aged 80 and over, and some other groups set by law
50% discount	Students, people aged 60–79, people with severe disabilities
Opening days	Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Closed	Mondays and Fridays
Hours	8:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30 (closed at lunchtime)
Parking	Free parking at the site

Fees are set by the Ministry of Finance (Circular 90/2025/TT-BTC); special free-entry days are sometimes announced for national holidays, so check local news before you go.

How to Visit the Vietnam Military History Museum, Step by Step

Check the day: never plan a visit on a Monday or Friday.
Arrive at 8:00 or 13:00, as the museum closes for lunch from 11:30 to 13:00.
Buy tickets at the gate (bring cash; under-16s are free).
Do the outdoor display first while it is cool, then move indoors.
Bring water and snacks; food options on site are limited.

How to Get to the Vietnam Military History Museum

From	How	Time
Hoan Kiem Lake / Old Quarter	Grab or taxi via Tran Duy Hung and Thang Long Avenue (13–15 km)	30–45 minutes
Hoan Kiem Lake / Old Quarter	Private car with driver as part of a half-day tour	30–45 minutes
Anywhere in Hanoi	City buses on Thang Long Avenue (routes 71, 74 and 107 have been reported to stop near the gate); check Google Maps for current routes	60–90 minutes
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology	Grab or taxi (about 8 km)	20–25 minutes

See our Hanoi transportation guide for taxis and ride-hailing.

Best Time to Visit the Vietnam Military History Museum

When	What to expect
October–December	Dry and mild: the best weather for the large outdoor area
January–April	Cool and sometimes drizzly; comfortable indoors
May–September	Hot and sunny with storms; go at 8:00 and bring a hat
Tuesday–Thursday mornings	Quietest time
Weekends and holidays (30 April, 2 September, 22 December)	Very busy with Vietnamese families and school groups

Local Expert Tips for the Vietnam Military History Museum

These tips come from years of arranging Hanoi tours for international travellers.

Older guidebooks still list the Dien Bien Phu Street address; tell your driver “Bảo tàng Lịch sử Quân sự, Đại lộ Thăng Long”.
Combine it with the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on the same western half-day, remembering the Ethnology museum is closed on Mondays.
The outdoor area has little shade: bring sunscreen, a hat or an umbrella.
Hire a car with driver for the return trip; taxis can be scarce outside the museum at closing time.
Pair it with Hoa Lo Prison and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum for a complete picture of 20th-century Vietnam.

Vietnam Military History Museum vs Hoa Lo Prison Museum

	Vietnam Military History Museum	Hoa Lo Prison Museum
Location	Thang Long Avenue, 13–15 km west	French Quarter, 1 km from Hoan Kiem Lake
Focus	Military history, weapons, campaigns	Colonial prison, political prisoners, US pilots
Highlights	MiG-21s, tanks, B-52 wreckage	Cells, guillotine, “Hanoi Hilton” exhibits
Time needed	2–3 hours plus travel	1–1.5 hours
Closed	Mondays and Fridays	Open daily

Our view: on a short trip choose Hoa Lo for its central location and powerful stories; add the Military History Museum when you have a spare half-day or a particular interest in aircraft and armour.

Nearby Attractions

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: about 8 km, 20–25 minutes by car.
Vietnam National Museum of History: in the French Quarter, for earlier history.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and the Hanoi Flag Tower: site of the old museum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: about 13 km east.
Hoa Lo Prison Museum: central, for the war-era prison story.

Sightseeing in Hanoi for First-Time Visitors: Where the Vietnam Military History Museum Fits

Three days or more in Hanoi? Spend day one on the classic centre (Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature), day two on the Mausoleum and Hoa Lo, and use a morning of day three for the Military History Museum and the Museum of Ethnology before heading to Ha Long Bay or Trang An in Ninh Binh.

Plan your trip with our Hanoi travel guide and Hanoi tours. Contact Vietnam Tour Expert Team for a free custom itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnam Military History Museum

1. Where is the Vietnam Military History Museum now?

The Vietnam Military History Museum is now at Km 6+500 Thang Long Avenue, Xuan Phuong Ward, about 13–15 km west of central Hanoi; the old Dien Bien Phu Street site has closed.

2. When did the new Vietnam Military History Museum open?

The new Vietnam Military History Museum opened on 1 November 2024, with free entry until the end of that year.

3. How much is the ticket to the Vietnam Military History Museum?

The Vietnam Military History Museum charges 40,000 VND per person; under-16s and over-80s are free and students and over-60s get 50% off.

4. What are the opening hours of the Vietnam Military History Museum?

The Vietnam Military History Museum opens 8:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

5. Is the Vietnam Military History Museum closed on Mondays?

Yes. The Vietnam Military History Museum is closed on Mondays and also on Fridays.

6. How long do I need at the Vietnam Military History Museum?

Allow 2–3 hours at the Vietnam Military History Museum, plus 30–45 minutes each way from the Old Quarter.

7. How do I get to the Vietnam Military History Museum?

The easiest way to reach the Vietnam Military History Museum is by Grab, taxi or private car along Thang Long Avenue; see our Hanoi transport guide.

8. Is there a B-52 at the Vietnam Military History Museum?

Yes. The Vietnam Military History Museum displays wreckage of a B-52 bomber shot down over Hanoi in December 1972.

9. What national treasures are at the Vietnam Military History Museum?

National treasures at the Vietnam Military History Museum include MiG-21 fighters No. 4324 and No. 5121 and T-54B tank No. 843.

10. How many artefacts does the Vietnam Military History Museum have?

The Vietnam Military History Museum holds more than 150,000 artefacts on a site of 38.66 hectares.

11. Is the Vietnam Military History Museum worth visiting?

Yes, for anyone interested in military history; on a short trip, the central Hoa Lo Prison Museum is an easier alternative to the Vietnam Military History Museum.

12. Is the Vietnam Military History Museum good for kids?

Children usually enjoy the aircraft and tanks at the Vietnam Military History Museum, and under-16s enter free.

13. Does the Vietnam Military History Museum have English information?

Yes. Main exhibits at the Vietnam Military History Museum have Vietnamese and English labels, with QR codes and touchscreens.

14. Is the old Vietnam Military History Museum on Dien Bien Phu Street still open?

No. The old Vietnam Military History Museum site on Dien Bien Phu Street, beside the Flag Tower, closed when the collection moved to Thang Long Avenue in 2024.