The Opening of the Hoi An museum of traditional medicine 

Recently, the museum of traditional medicine has been opened for the public in an alley at the heart of the ancient town. This event was held on March 15 and was part of the celebration for the 44th anniversary of the liberation of the city and the 20th anniversary of Hoi An's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage (12/1999 - 12/2019).

This action showed one of the city’s efforts in the preservation and promotion of this traditional activity which is at risk of disappearing in Hoi An. For lovers of oriental medicine and especially traditional Vietnamese medicine this is the first of its kind in Hoi An and the second of Vietnam after the Fito Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. You should absolutely visit and explore both of these bastions of medical history.

Uncovering the museum of traditional medicine

Located in an old house with the traditional architecture of Hoi An, the museum displays about 200 original and restored objects. The six themed areas in here allow visitors to discover an important sector of Hoi An in its historical evolution, from ancestral traditions to its current practice. The exhibitions present the different stages of this profession such as reception rooms, consultation rooms, the diagnosis procedure and the composition of the medicines. You will also learn about the process of drying and preserving of herbs and which make up the medicine.

The traditional medicine of Hoi An has existed for a long time because the city was a bustling port in the 16th-17th century. Since this place was an important stop for all the international ships in the South East region, Hoi An became the home of many medicine streets. The museum reminds us of all the old streets that were filled with medicinal herbs, like Trieu Phat, Xuan Sanh, Hoa Xuan, Duy Ich and Minh Duc to name a few. Those streets had made the names of once renowned doctors in Hoi An, such as Muoi, Chan Nam Thanh, Ba Chung and Truong Hung Co.

As a result of the brilliant development in business at the port of Hoi An at the time, traditional medicine like thuoc Nam, thuoc Bac or the Chinese and Vietnamese herbal medicines had many fantastic achievements contributing to an important part of the unique culture and heritage of Hoi An.

For those who interested in history, ancient civilizations and its treasures, Hoi An is a destination not to be missed. You can find museums that are close to each other and located in buildings dating back centuries. In addition to what the museums have displayed, the architecture of these houses may be enough for you to explore because it is an important part of Hoi An's architectural heritage.

Museums must-visit in Hoi An:

It’s so easy to include the museum of traditional medicine to your journey to discover Hoi An. But don’t forget, there is still a lot of interesting places in Hoi An such as the Japanese covered bridge, the assembly halls of Chinese communities, the Thu Bon River and the craft villages. You are free to choose, for example, 3 out of 21 attractions of the old quarter of Hoi An with a cost of 80.000 VND for Vietnamese visitors or 120.000 VND or 5 USD for international visitors. 

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