What is the Precious Heritage Museum?
The Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An is a unique combination of photography gallery, cultural museum, and textile exhibition. Its main focus is preserving and celebrating the rich heritage of Vietnam’s 54 officially recognized ethnic groups, many of whose traditional clothing, dialects, and customs are disappearing.
The museum is housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century French colonial building, adding to its atmosphere. Through portraits, stories, and original tribal costumes, the museum gives you an intimate look into cultures that are rarely seen, even within Vietnam itself.
About the Founder – Réhahn
The Precious Heritage Museum is the life’s work of Réhahn, a French travel photographer who has lived in Hoi An since 2011. Over the course of nearly a decade, he traveled across Vietnam—often to remote and hard-to-reach villages—to document the 54 ethnic groups through portraits, interviews, and costume preservation.
Réhahn personally funded the museum and continues to maintain it without government support. He’s often present at the museum, signing books, talking with visitors, and sharing stories behind the photographs—making the experience feel even more personal.
What to see inside the museum
Fine art room
Start your visit with Réhahn’s most iconic and personal photographs. These images trace his development as an artist and provide context for the journey that led to the museum’s creation.
Indigo screening room
Watch behind-the-scenes videos of Réhahn’s encounters with ethnic communities and learn about indigo dyeing techniques still used by groups like the Hmong and Dao. This room also features handmade textiles and a 70-year-old skirt dyed with natural indigo.
Northern Vietnam room
Explore the lives of ethnic groups from Vietnam’s remote northern regions, such as the Si La, Cong, and Flower Hmong. Their costumes, portraits, and stories offer insight into traditions that are increasingly at risk.
Central & Southern Vietnam room
Learn about smaller and lesser-known groups like the O Du, Vietnam’s smallest ethnic group. Many of the costumes in this room are no longer made today, making these displays rare and valuable.
Costumes & Portrait collection
The museum showcases more than 60 authentic traditional costumes and over 200 portraits. Each is paired with stories that highlight the group’s cultural identity, language, and lifestyle—offering a rare and moving look into Vietnam’s ethnic diversity.
Visiting information
- Location: 26 Phan Boi Chau Street, just a short walk from central Hoi An Ancient Town.
- Opening Hours: Open daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
- Entry: Free admission — one of the few high-quality, no-cost experiences in Hoi An.
- Accessibility: Easy to reach on foot or by bicycle. Not inside the pedestrian-only zone, so motorbikes can park nearby.
- Time Needed: Most people spend 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your interest in photography and culture.
- Extras: Cold drinks available inside. Free postcards at the counter. A small gift shop sells books and prints to support the museum.
Is the Precious Heritage Museum worth visiting?
Yes — the Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An is one of the most unique and widely praised cultural experiences in the city.
It’s a great choice if you’re interested in photography, ethnic diversity, textile heritage, or authentic cultural storytelling. The level of detail, quality of presentation, and emotional impact are rare to find — especially for a free museum.
The only caveat: this museum is not about Hoi An’s local history. It focuses on Vietnam’s ethnic groups, so it might not match expectations if you’re looking for something specific to Hoi An. It’s also better suited for slow exploration than quick visits or Instagram stops.
That said, if you want one museum to really connect with Vietnamese culture on a deeper level, this is it.
Other museums in Hoi An
If you’re interested in exploring more culture after the Precious Heritage Museum, here are a few other worthwhile museums in Hoi An:
- Museum of Trade Ceramics – Historic ceramics from Hoi An’s trading era (9th–19th centuries), set in a restored wooden house.
- Sa Huynh Culture Museum – Artifacts from Hoi An’s earliest known residents, with items dating back over 2,000 years.
- Hoi An Folklore Museum – Exhibits on traditional crafts, folk art, and local performing arts like Bai Choi.
- Museum of History & Culture – A chronological journey through Hoi An’s development from its early days to trading port peak.
- Hoi An Silk Museum – Interactive museum showing the full silk-making process, including live silkworms and traditional looms.
For more details and comparisons, check out our full guide to the Best Museums in Hoi An.
