The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture is located at the intersection of 2/9 Street and Trung Nu Vuong Street, opposite the Dragon Bridge, making it easy for tourists to find their way.
This place keeps the cultural and historical values of the ancient Champa kingdom. You can find skillful carving on the sandstone statues dating from the 7th to 13th centuries.
1. Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture
- Address: 02, Sep 2 Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City
- Ticket price: 60,000 VND/person
- Opening hours: From 7 am to 5 pm daily
The museum is currently the repository for the most significant Champa cultural artifacts in Vietnam, occupying a total area of up to 6,600 m². In which 2,000 m² is used to display ancient artifacts, the rest is a collection of pictures and documents about Cham culture.
The Cham Sculpture Museum was officially opened to the public in 1919. Thousands of tourists visit it every year to rediscover the imprint of the flourishing Cham kingdom. You can find historical and cultural values in unique sculptural art.
1.1. The local guiding service in the museum
To learn more about the Champa culture, the museum offers two guided services: an audio guide and a group tour.
1.1. To get the description of the automatic Museum of Cham Sculpture, you have to scan the code at each object to hear it.
- Log in to the museum’s wifi.
- Open a web browser and access the address https://chamaudio.com.
- Select one of three languages: Vietnamese, English, or French. You can choose the name of the object you want to hear information about.
You can also turn on the Audio guide and follow the tour sequence introduced. Alternatively, you can scan the code attached to the object to hear information about each one.
1.2. Hire a local guide to visit here
You can hire a local guide at the museum, who can provide detailed explanations about the artifacts on display. It’s recommended to book a local guide for the museum in advance (at least 3 days in advance) because you may not have an available guide when you visit.
Time of guiding service: From 7:30 am to 11:00 pm and from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm daily.
2. The brief for the development of Cham Museum
The Museum of Cham Sculpture was officially established in 1915. Still, the foundation for this work was laid many years prior.
The first collection of Cham sculptures was initiated at the end of the nineteenth century by the French, who were passionate about archaeology, particularly those working for the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO).
All the ancient objects found were gathered and then displayed at Tourane Park. The idea of building a museum to protect and display artifacts of the Champa civilization also emerged from here.
- 1915: The museum began construction.
- 1919: The museum officially opened to the public.
- 1930: The construction museum was expanded for the first time due to a large number of excavated antiquities. And, rearranged the visiting route in order of regions, and this way has remained the same to this day.
- 2002: For the second time, the museum was expanded, adding an exhibition and storage area, a restoration workshop, and working and research rooms.
- 2011: The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture was listed in the 1st group of museums in Vietnam, because of its contributions in preserving Cham Pa cultural heritage values.
- 2016: Da Nang restored and upgraded buildings and exhibitions, still keeping the original architectural style.
3. What to see in the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture
The Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Da Nang, boasting rich cultural and historical significance that tells the story of the Champa Kingdom.
3.1 Enjoy the beautiful architecture of the Cham Museum building
The museum building was designed by two French architects, Delaval and Auclair, based on a suggestion by Henri Parmentier, who worked in the Department of Archaeology at the EFEO Institute.
Using the contours of the Champa temples in combination with the European architectural style, a unique charm was created for the building of this museum.
The main building features a flat roof with pointed tips, following the motifs of Cham temples, which helps the museum stand out in the heart of the city.
The exhibition rooms of the building are designed to be open, with many windows, ensuring the display areas receive natural light.
Entering the museum garden, you will find an atmosphere steeped in history, with yellow classical blocks and white frangipani flowers.
3.2. Explore the exhibition rooms
The Cham Sculpture Museum in Da Nang City currently owns over 2,000 large and small antiques, of which approximately 500 are on display. At the same time, the rest are carefully stored in the warehouse.
These sculptures are mostly original, made of three materials: sandstone, terracotta, and bronze, with sandstone statues being the most common.
All statues and artifacts dating from the 7th to the 15th centuries reflect the cultural, spiritual, and religious life of the Champa people.
Most of the statues depict the gods of Hinduism, such as Shiva, the Naga Snake God, Brahma, Vishnu, Lakshmi, and the Linga–Yoni.
It is not unique in its materials, but the objects at the Cham Museum also demonstrate the skillful talent of sculptural art in terms of shape, content, and ideology.
These artifacts are grouped into exhibition rooms according to the geographical areas where they were excavated, such as Dong Duong, Tra Kieu, Thap Ma, My Son, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh – Kon Tum. This division is easily accessible for tourists, allowing them to recognize the unique features of Cham architecture in each locality.
3.3. Admire National Artifacts
At this unique museum, there are currently six antiquities listed as national ancient objects, including the My Son E1 altar, the Tra Kieu altar, the Tara Bodhisattva statue, the Dong Duong altar, the Ganesha statue, and the Gajasimha.
The Tra Kieu worshiping altar is an immortal masterpiece of Cham sculpture. The details are elaborately carved, meticulous to every millimeter.
My Son and Dong Duong altars also feature skillfully carved statues, dating from the 7th to 9th centuries.
The statue of Bodhisattva Tara is the only bronze object in the Cham Museum in Da Nang. With a height of 1,148m, the largest bronze statue features delicate carvings that exude majesty and transcendent beauty.
The standing Ganesha statue features an elephant head and a human body, dating back to the 7th to 8th centuries.
The Gajasimha statue also features an elephant head. Still, its body is that of a lion, symbolizing the strong power of a holy animal, dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries.
4. Notes when visiting the Cham Museum
To visit this site, you should pay attention to the following things:
- You need to present an entrance ticket to the museum.
- Do not touch the object, do not climb or sit on podiums displaying artifacts.
- Please do not bring large luggage into the museum, as hand luggage exceeding 3kg can be stored at the luggage counter.
- Maintain general hygiene in the museum.
- Please do not bring explosives, flammable substances, or other hazardous items into the museum.
- You should dress neatly and politely when entering the exhibition room.
- Booking the local guide for the museum should be done at least 3 days in advance.
The Da Nang Cham Museum is a place to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the ancient Champa Kingdom’s flourishing period.
The museum is included on the list of famous Da Nang attractions, boasting high cultural, historical, and artistic value for tourists visiting this city.
If you have the opportunity to visit Da Nang, please stop by the Cham Museum to reminisce about ancient times, as each precious artifact brings them to life.
