The Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An: a journey through the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam

In the heart of the historic center of Hội An, in the old French quarter, a small yellow house hides one of the most amazing places in Vietnam: the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum, founded by the French artist Réhahn. This free museum, open every day from 8am to 8pm, is a real immersion in the cultural diversity of the country. In one place, you can travel ten years of exploration through the mountains, rice fields and remote villages, to meet the 54 ethnic groups that make up the human mosaic of Vietnam.

The experience is nothing like a traditional museum. Here, we don’t just look at objects behind windows. We enter a living universe, made of stories, faces, and colors. Each room tells about encounters, moments shared between the artist and the inhabitants of the most isolated regions of the country. The portraits are accompanied by authentic traditional costumes, often donated by the families themselves, as well as explanatory texts in French, English and Vietnamese.

A unique project born from a decade of adventures

The Precious Heritage Museum is the result of more than ten years of work. Réhahn criss-crossed the country from north to south on a motorcycle, often for several weeks in a row, to document the traditions, outfits and languages of these communities. Some of them have barely a few hundred members, and several traditions are now disappearing due to modernization. This fieldwork, carried out with patience and respect, has made it possible to build an exceptional collection of portraits and traditional clothing, some now untraceable elsewhere.

This project, started in 2010 and inaugurated as a museum in 2017, has a simple but essential ambition: to preserve the living memory of Vietnam. In a country in full transformation, where cities grow at breakneck speed, the Precious Heritage Museum offers a parenthesis of slowness and depth. One discovers the richness of an often unknown heritage, and the beauty of cultures that have crossed centuries.

A lively place accessible to all

The museum is also distinguished by its opening. It is free for all visitors and open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m to 8 p.m, without interruption. This accessibility is an integral part of Réhahn’s philosophy: art and culture must be shared, not reserved for an elite. Families, lonely travelers, children, expatriates. Everyone finds their place there.

For the younger ones, the museum offers a free exploration game that transforms the visit into an adventure. Equipped with a small UV lamp, the children go in search of hidden drawings in the different rooms. These patterns invisible to the naked eye appear only under the purple light, like a secret to be discovered. It’s a fun way to learn, to look carefully, and to marvel at the creativity that hides in every detail.

Families particularly appreciate this immersive approach: while children have fun playing the explorers, parents can take the time to admire the works and read the stories that accompany the portraits.

A meeting between France and Vietnam

The museum is also a reflection of the career of Réhahn, a French artist who has been living in Vietnam for more than fifteen years. Originally from Normandy, he found in Hội An a balance between his European roots and his love for Asia. His artistic approach is part of a form of photographic humanism: showing the beauty, dignity and diversity of peoples, without staging or artifice.

Visitors find this French sensibility combined with a deep affection for Vietnam. The museum itself is located in an old Vietnamese house in the historic center, carefully restored. Its ochre walls, its dark wooden beams and its windows open on the flowery alleys contribute to this soothing atmosphere, almost out of time.

Why you should absolutely visit the Precious Heritage Museum 

Visiting the Precious Heritage Museum is experiencing a journey within a journey. It is a human and cultural experience, but also an aesthetic one. The photos on display are strikingly beautiful, playing with natural light and the textures of traditional costumes. Many visitors describe the place as a favorite of their stay in Hội An, an inspiring stop after walks in the old town and markets.

For photography enthusiasts, it is a look lesson: how to capture the light, the movement, the emotion of an instant. For those curious about culture, it is a dive into the complexity of contemporary Vietnam, between tradition and modernity.

Finally, for families, it is an accessible visit, free, and full of meaning. Children emerge proud of their discoveries, parents enrich with new knowledge, and everyone takes away a little of this precious memory that gives the museum its name.

Useful Information:

• Address : 26 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoi An, Vietnam
• Opening Times: Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Entry: Free and open
• Languages: French, English, Vietnamese
• Family activity: Free exploration game with UV lamp for children