Not only known as the land of orchid tree flowers, Dien Bien is also known as the heroic land that experienced the fiercest war years in Vietnam. Therefore, tourists coming to Dien Bien, besides enjoying the breathtaking natural scenery, should also visit Dien Bien's historical relics to understand more about the history and people of the land of Vietnam.
One place that is probably the most famous among the relics in Dien Bien is the Historical Victory Museum Dien Bien Phu as it displays documents, objects, and images about the soldiers' heroic and resilient struggle to protect their nation's independence.
Like other famous conservation areas and tourist attractions, the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum has undergone a long process of construction and development. After the Dien Bien Phu campaign, the Regiment 174 Tradition Hall was built to preserve and collect objects and documents to remind future generations about this glorious past. In 1959, the traditional Dien Bien Phu Victory House was built and is now the headquarters of the Dien Bien Phu municipal police.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the historic victory at Dien Bien Phu, the museum was financed for restoration and preservation. The museum was built over an area of 366m2, the original building site is now the Provincial Military Command. However, due to the American bombing, the museum had to be evacuated to Noong Bua.
When peace was restored on July 5, 1965, the Dien Bien Phu Museum was officially created based on the documents and objects that Battalion 316 had collected and preserved over many years. In 1974, the museum was set up on Hill C2 - now the headquarters of the Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee. In 1979, when the border war broke out again, the museum was heavily damaged by bombs. Its exhibits had to be evacuated to the Military Museum.
Before the 30th anniversary of the historic victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1984, the 674m2 Dien Bien Phu Victory Tunnel was built. On May 5, 2014, to mark the 60th anniversary, the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum was officially opened after 19 months of construction.
The Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum is located on one of the most important streets in downtown Dien Bien Phu, Rue Vo Nguyen Giap. It's a busy street with many famous attractions and hotels. What's more, due to its favorable geographical location, it is included in almost all of Dien Bien's tourist itineraries.
From the outside, visitors will be impressed by the museum's unique architectural style. Built on an extremely vast area of 22,000m2, the museum is now the largest and most modern key project in Dien Bien, with a total investment of over 211 billion VND.
The museum has a special design with a metal outer structure to create strength and solidity, which suits the archival nature of the museum. This material also enables the museum to withstand the harsh climate in Dien Bien. The museum is located on a circular plot of land, surrounded by a green lawn all year round. The museum comprises a basement and an upper floor, for a total building area of over 7,000m2.
The basement is where visitors arrive before moving on to other areas. Interactive learning spaces are also set up in this area, as well as museum-related souvenir stores. These include tourist products steeped in the culture of Dien Bien. On special occasions, the basement is also a space where exhibition and entertainment activities are organized.
The upper floor is a permanent exhibition of relics, photos, etc. from the Dien Bien Phu war, which has an extremely distinctive truncated-conical design. The total exhibition area is 1,250m2, so tourists probably won't have time to explore everything in one day.
The Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum even boasts an outdoor exhibition area of over 6,500m2, featuring war vehicles such as aircraft and tanks, a 250-seat cinema, an artifacts gallery, and an area to recreate the Dien Bien Phu campaign using images, sound, and light.
The museum's exhibits focus on the 56 days and nights of the glorious Dien Bien Phu campaign. At the moment, the museum contains around 1,000 carefully preserved objects and images relating to the Vietnamese army and people's war of resistance against the French colonialists.
These 1,000 objects are divided into 4 groups with 4 themes, including:
After restoration, the museum's objects and paintings are divided into 5 zones:
As you enter the museum, you'll see a solemn area, a place dedicated to the honor of the great General Vo Nguyen Giap - the commander-in-chief of the Dien Bien Phu campaign. For this reason, his statue is placed in a solemn position in the museum.
Next, you will move to an area reserved for portraits of the soldiers who performed outstanding feats and were awarded the title of heroes of the People's Armed Forces. With limited space, this is the most sincere and respectful way to express the heart of the younger generation to their ancestors for their great sacrifices, contributing to the historic victory of 1954.
Even the equipment for treating wounds is very rudimentary in a very small space. The exhibition area on the living quarters of the soldiers, doctors, and nurses who cared for wounded soldiers during battles brings visitors to tears at the ferocity of war. These objects are the evidence showing that to win the Dien Bien Phu campaign, the Vietnamese people had to endure unimaginable pain and losses.
In addition, a lighting system is used to enliven the objects, each artifact has a short, concise, and comprehensive caption. Among these objects are souvenirs of eminent personalities such as Mr. Ma Van Thang's bicycle, Mr. Trinh Dinh Dam's wheelbarrow, and Mr. Nguyen Phu Xuyen Khuong's silk shirt.
The richness of the museum's photographic material, in addition to the original documents, is the result of many contributions from numerous national and foreign photographers. Thanks to this, visitors can discover the viewpoints of the press and foreign tourists when evoking the glorious Dien Bien Phu campaign.
In addition to the indoor exhibition area, the museum also has an outdoor exhibition area where vehicles and weapons used by Vietnamese soldiers, such as the anti-aircraft gun, the 105mm gun, and the H6 gun, are on display. These were the first heavy weapons used by the Vietnamese army. It also has a few types of helicopters, tanks, etc.
The Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum is still undergoing renovation (phase 2) to constantly expand the exhibition area to improve customers' experience. It is promised that in the future when you come to the museum, you will see a more beautiful and spacious appearance.
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