Modern history exhibition attracts viewers

The need to learn about history

The first days of opening of the Vietnam Military History Museum (Hanoi) attracted a large number of visitors, through long lines. The spaces in the museum were always crowded. Those were the days when the museum had free admission.

However, on April 12, the first day of admission, the number of visitors was also significant. On that day, the museum had 20,000 visitors. The number of visitors during the free admission period on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification (from April 30 to May 4) reached 147,750, including more than 1,000 international visitors.

Although not a museum event, the exhibition National Achievements: 80 Years of the Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness (Exhibition A80) at the National Exhibition Center ( Hanoi ) recently also attracted a large number of visitors. There, the public had the opportunity to look back on 80 years of the country's development. According to the organizers, in just the first 6 days, Exhibition A80 welcomed nearly 4 million visitors. This is also a record number at exhibitions up to now. If the huge number of viewers is considered a success, this success comes from the promotion, as well as interactive activities at the exhibition from concerts to seminars, virtual reality experiences... The public comes to interact with famous people, experience historical and cultural spaces, ask for calligraphy, become an actor in a virtual studio... It also comes from being able to look back at the history of many industries and localities through the exhibition booths...

Trưng bày lịch sử hiện đại hút người xem- Ảnh 1. — Exhibition of 80 years of national achievements in Hanoi attracts millions of visitors

Besides, there are also private museums that receive public attention for history. One of them is To Huu Museum. This is a lovely private museum, with regular visitors, and most interestingly, many students come here. On the first floor of this museum, information about the historical circumstances when the young man To Huu became enlightened about the revolution is presented. From there, students understand what it means to choose a path to follow, about the ideals of a young person. Meanwhile, older people are attracted by the way To Huu Museum tells about the historical changes during the subsidy period, about the collapse of the Soviet Union. Another poem he wrote in 1992 shows his thoughts about the path he has taken and the path he will take: "Perhaps we will forget ourselves/The flock of swallows announces the coming of spring/Overcoming thousands of big waves, the long road/We will arrive, new horizons..." .

New ways of telling

Mr. Tran Viet Phuong, Director of 3D Company, said that his unit has accompanied the Vietnam Military History Museum in implementing many modern exhibition items. These include the fabrication of battle simulation systems, the production of historical 3D films, and the development of virtual reality (VR) software to recreate important historical periods of the nation. "This is not simply a technical work but also a process of reconstructing collective memory using technological language," said Mr. Phuong.

Trưng bày lịch sử hiện đại hút người xem- Ảnh 2. — Vietnam Military History Museum attracts a large number of visitors.

According to Mr. Phuong, to carry out such a project, his unit had to invite experts from many fields: history, military, archaeology, costumes, geology, architecture... In addition, the 3D technical and artistic team also had to research, learn, and train themselves to be able to understand every detail in the historical context, topography, and geomorphology, down to the way soldiers wear uniforms, hold weapons, and build camps. Each project is carried out with the spirit of "being both a technological creator and a faithful chronicler of history".

Interestingly, Mr. Phuong also participated in supporting the exhibition booths at the A80 exhibition; before that, he also participated in exhibiting about Vietnam at the Dubai Expo 2021. "Four years after the Dubai World Expo, when participating in the A80 exhibition, we brought VR/AR systems, virtual tour spaces, and smart photo booths to partners in the exhibition. If Expo 2021 is a place to "introduce Vietnam through heritage", then A80 is an opportunity to "bring history closer to every Vietnamese person" with modern technology," said Mr. Phuong.

Trưng bày lịch sử hiện đại hút người xem- Ảnh 3. — The exhibition "National Achievements: 80 Years of Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness" attracted nearly 4 million visitors in just the first 6 days.

Mr. Phuong assessed that there is a very positive signal: young people are increasingly interested in history. They do not just read books, but also want to "see", "hear", "touch" history in many different ways. And technology is the door that opens that experience. Thanks to digital technology, we can recreate battles, recreate every fold of clothing, every sword, every battlefield terrain. Thanks to artificial intelligence, we can create smart interactive systems, so that visitors, audiences, and even students can directly dialogue with history.

He said: "In the context of the state promoting the development of cultural industry, creative industry and digital transformation, I believe that the need to look back at history through technology is not only a trend, but inevitable. When technology blends with history, we can both preserve traditional roots and create cultural products with new vitality that can spread to the whole world."