HCM City museums seek to digitize, widen reach

Most museums in Ho Chi Minh City are in the process of restoring, upgrading and rearranging their display systems after long closures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
HCM City museums seek to digitize, widen reach ảnh 1Digitisation helps the museum reach a wider audience, promotes cultural heritage values and increases interaction between the museum and the public. (Photo: VNA)
HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Most museums in Ho Chi Minh City are in theprocess of restoring, upgrading and rearranging their display systems afterlong closures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The news that the War Remnants Museum, Southern Women's Museum, History Museum,Ao Dai Museum and HCM City Museum were ready to receive international touristswas widely welcomed last month. 

The War Remnants Museum in District 3 has been one of the most popular draws inthe city for international. 

In 2019, the museum welcomed about 3000 people a day, more than 70 percent ofthem international tourists. Now, despite the pandemic situation having eased,the number of visitors has dropped to as low as 100 a day. 

NguyenTran Tam Ha, deputy director of the War Remnants Museum, said that to welcomeinternational visitors back, they were focusing on upgrading its thematicgalleries. 

The museum is also collaborating with the United States on the topic ofpost-war remedial action that future visitors can learn about.

The Southern Women's Museum in District 3 has also renovated its infrastructureto create a more modern space. Its exhibition areas are being rearranged withmore attractive content and themes.

Museum director Nguyen Thi Tham said that they now meet the criteria forepidemic prevention to welcome international guests. The museum also plansto organise more cultural activities to enrich visitors’ experiences.

“In the near future, the museum will coordinate with travel agencies andrestaurants to organise culinary events that will allow visitors to enjoyspecial southern dishes. We also want to open the Ao Dai show every weekend.” 

Besidesenlarging its physical collection, the HCM City Museum of History is digitisingdata on existing artefacts and deploying AI and virtual 3D technology forfuture development. 

Visitors to the HCM Museum of History can now read in depth information aboutany artefact by using touchscreens or scanning a QR code on their mobilephones.

Deputy director Nguyen Khac Xuan Thi said they were trying to become a “smartmuseum”, following the general worldwide trend. They were also working tointroduce more cultural heritage education programmes and student tours. 

Several performances featuring water puppetry and boi singinghave been scheduled for the near future. Further information about these willbe posted on the museum’s social media channels such as YouTube and Facebook,Thi said. 

Many experts believe that digital transformation is a new step museums shouldtake to become more and more attractive, especially to young people.

Tham, director of the Southern Women's Museum, said that digitisation will helpvisitors interact with artefacts at a deeper level.

Furthermore, when emergencies like pandemics occur, it is essential thatmuseums organise online exhibitions, he said.

Digitisation not only helps the museum reach a wider audience and promotecultural heritage values, it also increases interaction between the museum andthe public, he added./.
VNA

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