Hoa Lo Prison Museum 2026: Tickets, Hours and Night Tour

Hoa Lo Prison (Nhà tù Hỏa Lò), the French-built “Maison Centrale” later nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American POWs, is a preserved prison museum at 1 Hoa Lo Street, about 1 km south-west of Hoan Kiem Lake. It tells the story of Vietnamese political prisoners under French rule and of US pilots held here in 1964–1973. Open daily 8:00–17:00; tickets 50,000 VND.

Status (checked October 2026): open daily as normal, 8:00–17:00 including holidays; the adult ticket is now 50,000 VND (50% off for students and over-60s, free for under-16s). The “Sacred Night” (Đêm thiêng liêng) evening tour runs on selected Friday and Saturday evenings and must be booked in advance.

Why Hoa Lo Prison is worth seeing:

Two histories in one place: French colonial repression and the American war, told from the Vietnamese perspective.
The “Hanoi Hilton”: exhibits on US pilots held here, including John McCain and later US ambassador Pete Peterson.
Powerful reconstructions: shackled prisoners in communal cells, dark solitary cells and a French guillotine.
Central and compact: 1–1.5 hours, walking distance from the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.
Night tour: a theatrical evening experience inside the prison on selected weekends.

Hoa Lo Prison Museum at a Glance

Vietnamese name	Di tích Nhà tù Hỏa Lò (Maison Centrale)
Location	1 Hoa Lo Street, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi
Distance	About 1 km south-west of Hoan Kiem Lake; 500 m from the Vietnamese Women’s Museum
Known for	French colonial prison (from 1896), “Hanoi Hilton” for US POWs (1964–1973), guillotine
Recognition	Historical relic site run by the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board
Opening hours	Daily 8:00–17:00, including holidays
Entrance fee	50,000 VND (about US$2); 25,000 VND students and over-60s; under-16s free
Time needed	1–1.5 hours
Best time	8:00 opening or mid-afternoon; Friday–Saturday evening for the night tour
Nearby	Vietnamese Women’s Museum, St Joseph’s Cathedral, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Railway Station
Find it	Google Maps · Tripadvisor · Official website · Wikipedia

Is Hoa Lo Prison Worth Visiting?

Yes, it is one of the most powerful and accessible museums in Hanoi. It is small, well signed in English and central, and in an hour it explains a century of Vietnamese struggle. Be aware that the displays present the official Vietnamese view: the colonial-era sections are harrowing, while the American POW section emphasises humane treatment, which many former prisoners dispute.

Best for: history lovers, Vietnam War travellers, and anyone wanting to understand modern Vietnam.
Skip if: you are travelling with young children or prefer to avoid graphic depictions of imprisonment and execution.
Short on time: 45 minutes covers the communal cells, the death-row cells, the guillotine and the POW room.

History of Hoa Lo Prison

The French “Maison Centrale” (1896–1954)

The French began building the prison in 1896 on the site of a pottery-making village whose kilns gave the street its name: Hoa Lo means “fiery furnace” or “stove”. It started operating around 1899 and was one of the largest prisons in French Indochina. Built for a few hundred inmates, it became badly overcrowded as the French jailed thousands of Vietnamese nationalists and communists. Several future leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam were held here, and the prison is famous for escapes through its sewer system.

The “Hanoi Hilton” (1964–1973)

During the American war, North Vietnam used Hoa Lo to hold captured US airmen, who ironically nicknamed it the “Hanoi Hilton”. The best-known prisoners were John McCain, later a US senator and presidential candidate, and Douglas “Pete” Peterson, who became the first US ambassador to unified Vietnam in 1997. The POWs were released in 1973 under the Paris Peace Accords.

From prison to museum

In the 1990s most of the prison was demolished to make way for the Hanoi Towers complex. The south-western section, about 2,400 m² including the main gate marked “Maison Centrale”, was preserved and opened as a museum and historical relic.

What to See at Hoa Lo Prison

1. The Maison Centrale gate

The yellow gate with “Maison Centrale” written above it is the iconic image of the prison. Look at the thick walls, once topped with glass shards and electric wire.

2. The communal cells

Life-size figures show rows of prisoners with their legs locked in long iron stocks, sleeping on bare concrete platforms. It is the most striking room in the museum.

Life-size figures of shackled prisoners in a communal cell at Hoa Lo Prison museum — Life-size figures show prisoners shackled in a communal cell during the French period. Photo: Richard Mortel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

3. The dark cells and death row

Tiny solitary cells, where prisoners were kept shackled in near darkness, show the harshest side of the colonial prison system.

4. The guillotine

A French guillotine used to execute Vietnamese revolutionaries is displayed, with explanations of the executions carried out in the prison.

5. The sewer escape

A section of the drainage system shows how prisoners escaped through the sewers, one of the prison’s most famous stories.

6. The American POW section

Photographs and objects relate to the US airmen held here, including John McCain’s flight suit and parachute (according to the museum), along with images of prisoners playing sport and celebrating Christmas.

7. The memorial area

At the end of the visit, a memorial honours the revolutionaries who were imprisoned and died at Hoa Lo.

Hoa Lo Prison Tickets and Opening Hours (2026)

Item	Details
Adult ticket	50,000 VND (about US$2)
50% discount	Students with a valid card, Vietnamese citizens aged 60+, people with disabilities
Free	Children under 16 and certain groups set by the relic board
Audio guide	Available for rent at the counter (several languages, including English and French)
Opening hours	Daily 8:00–17:00, including holidays; no lunch closure
“Sacred Night” tour	Selected Friday and Saturday evenings, about 19:00–21:00; prices from about 399,000 VND; booking required

Prices are set by the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board; check the official ticket page and the relic’s official Facebook page for night-tour dates.

How to Visit Hoa Lo Prison, Step by Step

Buy your ticket at the gate on Hoa Lo Street and rent an audio guide if you want one.
Follow the numbered route: gate, communal cells, dark cells, guillotine, sewer section.
Continue to the exhibitions on the American war and the POW section.
Finish at the memorial and the small shop.
Walk 6–8 minutes to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum or 10 minutes to St Joseph’s Cathedral.

How to Get to Hoa Lo Prison

From	How	Time
Hoan Kiem Lake	Walk via Hang Bai and Hai Ba Trung or via Ly Thuong Kiet (about 1 km)	12–15 minutes
Old Quarter	Grab or taxi (about 1.5–2 km)	5–10 minutes
Temple of Literature	Grab or taxi (about 1.5 km)	5–10 minutes
Hanoi Railway Station	Walk east along Tran Hung Dao (about 800 m)	10 minutes

More options in our Hanoi transportation guide.

Best Time to Visit Hoa Lo Prison

When	What to expect
Any month	Mostly indoors; a good choice on hot or rainy days
8:00–9:30	Quietest time before tour groups
10:00–15:00	Busiest, with tour groups and school visits
Friday and Saturday evenings	The “Sacred Night” theatrical tour, when scheduled

Local Expert Tips for Hoa Lo Prison

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

Go early: the narrow cells feel very different without crowds.
Rent the audio guide or go with a guide; context makes the difference between “old cells” and a moving visit.
Read the POW section critically and, if interested, compare it with first-hand memoirs by former prisoners.
Book the night tour well in advance through the official channels; seats sell out quickly.
Combine Hoa Lo with the Women’s Museum and St Joseph’s Cathedral for a French Quarter morning, then lunch from our Hanoi food guide.

Hoa Lo Prison vs War Remnants Museum (Saigon)

	Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi)	War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)
Focus	Colonial prison and US POWs, in an original building	Effects of the American war: photography, Agent Orange, weapons
Intensity	Sombre but compact	Very graphic in places
Time needed	1–1.5 hours	1.5–2 hours
Best for	Understanding the French period and the “Hanoi Hilton”	Understanding the human cost of the war

Our view: if your trip covers both north and south, visit both: Hoa Lo for the colonial and POW story in an authentic setting, and the War Remnants Museum for the wider impact of the war.

Nearby Attractions

Vietnamese Women’s Museum: about 500 m.
St Joseph’s Cathedral: about 700 m.
Hoan Kiem Lake: about 1 km.
Vietnam National Museum of History: about 1.5 km.
Temple of Literature: about 1.5 km.
Vietnam Military History Museum: on Thang Long Avenue, for more war history.

Sightseeing in Hanoi for First-Time Visitors: Where Hoa Lo Prison Fits

Two days in Hanoi? Day one: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Hoan Kiem Lake. Day two: Hoa Lo Prison at opening time, the Women’s Museum, St Joseph’s Cathedral and an afternoon in the Old Quarter, then a water puppet show. Our Hanoi travel tips cover what to know before you go.

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 Hoa Lo Prison Museum

1. How much is the ticket to Hoa Lo Prison?

The Hoa Lo Prison ticket costs 50,000 VND; students and Vietnamese citizens over 60 pay half price, and children under 16 enter free.

2. What are the opening hours of Hoa Lo Prison?

Hoa Lo Prison is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, including weekends and public holidays.

3. Where is Hoa Lo Prison?

Hoa Lo Prison is at 1 Hoa Lo Street, Cua Nam Ward, about 1 km south-west of Hoan Kiem Lake.

4. Why is Hoa Lo Prison called the Hanoi Hilton?

Hoa Lo Prison was ironically nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American pilots held there as prisoners of war between 1964 and 1973.

5. Was John McCain held at Hoa Lo Prison?

Yes. John McCain was among the US airmen held at Hoa Lo Prison, and the museum displays items linked to him.

6. When was Hoa Lo Prison built?

The French began building Hoa Lo Prison in 1896, and it started operating around 1899 as the Maison Centrale.

7. How long does it take to visit Hoa Lo Prison?

Most visitors spend 1–1.5 hours at Hoa Lo Prison; 45 minutes is enough for the main highlights.

8. Is Hoa Lo Prison worth visiting?

Yes. Hoa Lo Prison is central, compact and powerful, and explains both the French colonial era and the American war.

9. Is Hoa Lo Prison suitable for children?

Hoa Lo Prison has graphic reconstructions and a guillotine, so it may upset young children; under-16s enter free.

10. Does Hoa Lo Prison have an audio guide?

Yes. Hoa Lo Prison rents audio guides at the counter in several languages, including English and French.

11. What is the Hoa Lo Prison night tour?

The Hoa Lo Prison night tour, “Sacred Night”, is a guided theatrical evening on selected Friday and Saturday nights, about 19:00–21:00, booked in advance.