In the system of national museums of the country, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is considered as one of the crucial museum in maintaining and promoting the treasure of cultural, artistic heritages of Vietnamese ethnic communities. Visiting the Museum, viewer can understand the entire history of Vietnam fine arts through the collections, exhibits that are displayed here.

As regulated in the Decision 37/2004/QD-BVHTT dated June 28, 2004 of the Ministry of Culture and Information, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum has the following basic functions:

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is a culture – information caused organ directly affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Information with the function of conserving, exhibiting typical art work, materials, objects of Vietnam.
 

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is a national museum having legal status, its own stamp and account at the State Treasury and bank.

The duties of the Museum have also been regulated as follows:

1. Submit to the Minister the development plan, long-term and annual operation plan of the Museum and implement after the approval.

2. Study on the fine arts history of Vietnam ethnic communities through the materials and objects of the Museum in comply with its functions and duties.

3. Collect, inventory, conserve, display and introduce materials, object about the fine arts history of Vietnam ethnic communities.

4. Instruct, serve domestic and foreign visitors to visit, study at the Museum, implement the education on the fine arts history of Vietnam ethnic communities through the materials and objects of the Museum.

5. Research, apply the scientific, technological advancement into the Museum’s operations.

6. Provide professional instruction to museums, vestige, galleries and heritage owners in comply with its functions, duties at the order of the Ministry of Culture – Information or the request of localities, organizations and individuals.

7. Adopt material, objects, collections of intangible cultural heritage, relics, antiques, precious objects of the nation relating to fine arts history which are presented or authorized to keep by organizations and individuals in accordance with the law.

8. Implement the transfer of materials, objects according to regulations, provide their duplication according to the assigned duties and the law.

9. Assist education activities including technical, professional training of typical traditional handicrafts, support exhibitions of artisan, artists who keep the professional know-how and contribute to protect, wide spread traditional handicrafts.

10. Carry out international cooperation according to the plan of the Ministry of Culture – Information and the law

11. Organize cultural, amusement, entertainment in comply with the function and duty of the Museum and lawful regulations.

12. Collect fees and manage, use them according to the law.

13. Ensure the security and safety in the Museum’s management area.

14. Manage the organization mechanism, cadre, and laborers and realize policies for them according to regulations of the State and the Ministry’s decentralized administration.

15. Manage, use the finance, asset and other revenues according to the regulations of the State.

16. Implement other tasks assigned by the Minister of Culture – Information.

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is located in 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street of Hanoi. The Museum is attracting a great number of domestic and foreign visitors thanks to not only the exhibition content but also the artistic architecture of the building. It was an old structure, built in the 1930s by the French, reserved for the French colonial rulers’ daughters throughout the Indochina who came to Hanoi to study. In 1962, the government requested the Ministry of Culture to transform the building from the western architecture into a Vietnamese appearance with ornamental details from the traditional architecture of communal house and fit for exhibiting works of fine arts. So only on June 26, 1966 was Vietnam Fine Arts Museum officially inaugurated with the total area of 4200 square meters which 1200 square meters for exhibition. From 1997 to 1999, the total area was increased to 4737 square meters. In addition to the Museum in Nguyen Thai Hoc street, the second branch at Hoang Cau street of Hanoi also has an excellent atmosphere with a system of large room and sufficient equipment reserved for art work conservation store, restoration lab, conferences and meetings.

Throughout 40 years, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum deserves the centre for fine arts and culture study, contributes to the preservation and promotion cause of the nation’s cultural heritage.