Learn about the life and times of Vietnam’s famous communist leader at this museum erected in his honour.

The Ho Chi Minh Museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of the former president of North Vietnam and to Vietnam’s struggle for independence. This museum is a good place to learn more about the role Ho Chi Minh played in securing Vietnam’s independence and the history of the communist state. The structure of the museum itself is striking. Built as a monument as well as a museum, it sits beside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at the birthplace of the Vietnamese communist state on Ba Dinh Square. A Soviet influence is obvious in the building. A giant Ho Chi Minh statue welcomes you, as the inspiring leader of the revolution to free Vietnam from French rule.Book a tour at the entrance to the complex. Having a guide will help you to understand all exhibits in the museum, as some rooms contain information that is only in Vietnamese. Once inside, you’ll find thousands of documents, letters and historic artefacts. Learn about the life of “Uncle Ho”, who dedicated himself to freeing his country from French colonial rule. There are chronological exhibits that tell about his youth, his studies and pleas for help in France, and his connection with communism.Some say the museum is a tool of communist propaganda, while others feel there is plenty of genuine, thought-provoking history presented here, and many people find it a very moving experience.End your tour by browsing galleries full of art made by some of Vietnam’s leading artists. The Ho Chi Minh Museum is located in Ba Dinh Square, next door to the mausoleum that holds the late leader’s embalmed body. The square can easily be reached by bus or taxi from the centre of Hanoi. The museum is closed for lunch and also on Monday and Friday afternoons. A small admission fee applies.