Vietnam's Museums Embrace Technology for Cultural Heritage and Smart Tourism

Beyond preservation, digitalization is opening new opportunities for smart tourism, thereby expanding public access to heritage and enhancing research activities. In recent years, museums have stepped up the application of technology to transform traditional exhibition spaces into interactive and immersive experiences. The process began in 2021 with the launch of an exploration room for children featuring interactive screens. Numerous museums are combining vivid storytelling with flexible applications of science and technology, in line with the orientation for renewing cultural institutions outlined in the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80 on the development of Vietnamese culture. In architectural management, the draft Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Architecture clarifies the concept of “national cultural identity in architecture,” tying design to the preservation and promotion of regional heritage. It pushes architecture that mirrors local identity and fits each locality’s natural, historical and social conditions, while setting criteria to identify, assess and protect architecturally valuable buildings as a distinct form of cultural heritage. In the Hanoi Capital Master Plan with a 100-year vision, culture is identified as the core value underpinning the entire plan, serving as an endogenous resource, a source of soft power, and a driving force for the capital city's sustainable development strategy. Vietnam currently ranks 16th among the world's top 100 cuisines in the latest TasteAtlas rankings, up three places from 2024 and six from 2023. Meanwhile, Travel + Leisure has described Vietnamese cuisine as "exceptional" and listed Vietnam among the leading destinations for travellers seeking cultural experiences through food.