At the heart of the Imperial City of Hue, the 180-year-old Co Mat Vien (Supreme council for military and major state affairs of the Nguyen Dynasty) is gradually being revitalized in a new guise. Formerly the seat of the highest decisions of the Nguyen Dynasty, the space is being shaped into a center for creativity, education, and heritage experiences for the community.

On the morning of January 1st, in the warm sunshine on the first morning of the new year, the area around Ngo Mon Gate of Hue Imperial Citadel became lively as the Nguyen Dynasty Ban Soc ceremony was reenacted in a theatricalized format, officially opening Hue Festival 2026. The event also marked the first festival of the year, attracting a large number of local residents and visitors.

Once being the Imperial Capital under the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue has undergone many historical phases, and today the city is regarded as one of Vietnam’s few cities where multiple architectural traditions coexist. It brings together folk, royal, colonial, and modern styles, developing in a way that balances the architecture, landscape, and culture, forming a distinctive urban identity.

On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of Emperor Ham Nghi’s issuance of the Can Vuong Edict (1885 - 2025) - a milestone marking the beginning of the representative patriotic movement of the late 19th century, on the morning of December 7, Hue Monuments Conservation Center organized the heritage education program “Can Vuong tremendous spirit” (“Hao khi Can Vuong”) at Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities and the Nguyen Dynasty’s Privy Council (Co Mat Vien - Tam Toa) space.

The “Digital identification and Exhibition of Nguyen Dynasty antiquities” solution of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, has just won the Vietnam Digital Awards 2025. This achievement affirms Hue's pioneering position in the journey to bring heritage into the digital age.

On the morning of November 21st, at the Nguyen Dynasty’s Privy Council, or Co Mat Vien (Tam Toa), Hue Monuments Conservation Center, in collaboration with the University of Arts - Hue University, held the opening of a series of exhibitions and displays in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23rd).

It was a stroll through images and fond memories of Quoc Tu Giam (Imperial Academy) - a relic of the Nguyen Dynasty nestled in the heart of Hue Ancient Capital. The site is expected to undergo restoration this November, with a total investment of over 108 billion VND.

On October 8th in Hanoi, Hue Monuments Conservation Center (HMCC) was honored at the Vietnam Digital Awards (VDA) 2025 in the “Outstanding Digital Transformation Enterprise/Organization” category with its “Digital Identification and Exhibition of Nguyen Dynasty Antiquities” solution.

Although familiar to collectors and enthusiasts of antiques, visitors still cannot help but feel overwhelmed when standing before the artifacts displayed at the exhibition “Jade and Ivory in Religious Art” at the Museum of Nguyen Dynasty Porcelains (114 Mai Thuc Loan Street, Phu Xuan Ward).

In 2005, I was fortunate to meet Dang Van Viet, a revered elder, in Hue, where he had come from Hanoi to join the 60th anniversary of the Frontline Youth School. There, I learned that he was the one who, together with a comrade, raised the red flag with the yellow star over the Phu Van Lau (Phu Van Pavilion) flagpole on August 21, 1945-when the August Revolution had yet to break out, Japanese forces were still armed, and the Nguyen dynasty still stood in the imperial capital of Hue.

We would like to invite you to enjoy stunning flycam footage of the theatrical reenactment of the Lunar New Year Court Ceremony. This was the first event of the National Tourism Year, held on the morning of January 1, 2025, at the Great Court of Thai Hoa Palace.

Hue Monuments Conservation Center has just announced the Digital Identification of 10 Nguyen Dynasty artifacts at Hue Royal Antiquities Museum, at the same time, launching the Metaverse cultural exhibition space.