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| Students enjoying educational games at the program |
“Open classrooms”
On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of Emperor Ham Nghi’s passing away, over 100 students from Ham Nghi Secondary School took part in the “Hao khi Can Vuong” (The Heroic Spirit of the Can Vuong Movement) program at the museum. The students toured the exhibition space, learned about the patriotic monarch’s life and legacy, and enthusiastically engaged in themed games such as “Royal Decree Relay” and “Who’s the Savvy Historian?”… These interactive experiences provided a dynamic way to “learn through play, play to learn” in a heritage environment.
Le Van Minh, a student at Ham Nghi Secondary School, said: “I really enjoy these museum visits. Aside from playing, I get to learn a lot of new things.”
According to Truong Quy Man, Deputy Director of Museum of Royal Antiquities, heritage education programs are no longer superficial tours. Instead, they are “open classrooms” where students can listen, observe, touch, experience, and even role-play to explore Nguyen dynasty history.
The museum’s heritage education program, initially launched after the 2008 “Building Friendly Schools, Active Students” campaign, has since evolved to align with age-specific learning styles and school curriculum content. “From just one common program, the museum now has its own tailored content for each education level, integrating subjects like history, literature, civic education, and fine arts,” Deputy Director Man explained.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, the museum and An Dinh Palace hosted 51 programs with over 5.100 students and teachers. In 2024-2025, 46 programs have already attracted more than 4.300 participants, mostly students. The activities don’t just provide exposure to historical artifacts, they also help develop teamwork, physical fitness, and critical thinking through games like “Heritage Icon”, “Golden Bell Challenge”, “Reflection Cards”, and “Ball Relay for Hidden Treasures”.
Standardizing for greater impact
Recognizing the value of heritage education, Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities developed a comprehensive “Heritage Education Program for General School Students at the Museum” with consultation from experts of the National Heritage Council, completed by the museum’s staff and closely aligned with current national textbooks.
The content is clearly differentiated by educational level: Games for early primary students differ from those for older primary students; meanwhile, programs for lower and upper secondary students are designed to enhance analytical thinking and deeper understanding. Royal games such as xam huong (royal dice game), bai vu (Royal card game), and tha tho (poetry play) remain signature activities, while new additions like the “Hao khi Can Vuong” program help students explore the Can Vuong resistance movements, Emperor Ham Nghi and the heroes who resisted the French colonists.
Ms. Truong Bao Anh, Deputy Head of External Communication and Research at the museum, noted: “We’re constantly innovating to avoid repetition, especially since many students are already familiar with landmarks like the Imperial Citadel. Heritage education must offer meaningful experiences that make students want to come back”.
Toward an “open heritage education space”
To achieve the intended outcomes, the museum continuously innovates its methods while also providing professional training for its staff. Programs have been standardized based on on-site surveys, and personnel have participated in training courses offered by the Department of Cultural Heritage, as well as learned from the experiences of other localities. However, the heritage education program still faces several challenges, including a lack of funding for experiential teaching materials. Meanwhile, student and teacher expectations continue to rise. Collaboration between the museum and schools remains inconsistent, some schools show limited enthusiasm for heritage-based activities or repeatedly organize visits to the same sites year after year, leading to diminished student engagement.
With the motto “Nothing is impossible”, Deputy Director Truong Quy Man said that the museum continues to expand partnerships and funding sources to broaden the scale and enhance the quality of the programs. At the same time, it also plans to integrate modern technology, offering students new ways to engage with heritage.
“In the near future, we’ll develop a heritage education curriculum specifically for high school students at An Dinh Palace, an underutilized site yet has significant architectural and artistic value from the final Nguyen dynasty period,” he added.
As Hue embraces its identity as a “land of heritage”, bringing historical legacy closer to younger generations is not only a way to foster patriotism, it is a long-term strategy to preserve cultural identity in the modern age.