Museum of Trade Ceramics

Hoi An ceramics museum is an indispensable destination in the journey to discover Hoi An – Hue. At this place, you can not only see the famous ceramic artifacts but also have the opportunity to know more stories about a flourishing period of Hoi An. Let us explore the beauty of the culture here.

History of the museum

Built in 1858, the building housing the Museum of Trade Ceramics is an elegant example of traditional Vietnamese workmanship which has been kept in first-class condition. There are many antique pieces exhibited including some from a ship wrecked in nearby waters in 1733 and pottery from the Chinese Tang Dynasty dating from the 7th to the 10th centuries.

Discover Hoi An ceramics museum

The building that serves as museum itself is a very beautiful building constructed in the traditional Vietnamese architectural style. It is a two storey building with a courtyard and an anteroom – all of which are open to the public .Though the town of Hoi An is currently a fishing town, it once used to be a trade hub. Either way, the sea continues to play a major role in the life of the people of Hoi An. In the early days, when Hoi An was called Fai Fo, the chief article of trade to and from the town consisted mainly of pottery and, as such, pottery from different nations, including Chinese, Thai and Japanese, has been discovered.

There are about 430 ceramic artifacts that stand as testimony for the ceramic trade network dating back to the 8th to 18th centuries. Most of them come from Middle-East, India, China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. Among them, some antiques were picked up from a wrecked ship in the sea in 1733. Others were collected by archaeologists in the excavations carried out in the sites of Hoi An. They are the pottery of the Chinese Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries), of Middle East countries in 7th-10th centuries and of Vietnam in 15th century.

The Museum of Trade Ceramics is open daily from 08:00 until 17:00 and is situated at 80 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An. The house itself is in pristine condition and visitors are welcome to also wander around the rooms and courtyard to get a feel of a traditional Vietnamese house. The museum is highly recommended for historians or those with an interest in archaeology, others may find it rather dry largely due to the fact that there are few whole objects on display with most of the exhibits consisting of ancient shards of flatware and pottery.

Hue tours, do not forget to visit the traditional cultural beauty of Hoi An ceramics museum. With the above information, we believe that you have been attracted by the image of a bustling Hoi An and still hesitate to come and play Hoi An.