Representatives from 10 museums and 20 tour operators in the city have recently met to discuss cooperation to attract more guests.

Bui Nguyen Tam Dang, assistant to the general director of HCMC-based Vietravel, told that the information from museums was poor. “As usual, we must set up specific programs for tours from one week to one month, but we cannot find any new activities from the museums.”

Vietravel, Dang said, includes only the HCMC War Remnants Museum and the Vietnam History Museum near the Saigon Zoological and Botanical Garden on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in District 1 in their city tours. Dang explained that the two museums could meet the basic demands of tourists such as parking for buses, downtown location and good updates.

Representatives from Lua Viet Co., Exotissimo, Peace Tour and others had the same view, saying some guests wanted to understand the history of fine arts in Vietnam or the stories about southern wartime heroines but they could not bring guests to the HCMC Fine Arts Museum or the HCMC Southern Women’s Museum due to the lack of the elements mentioned above.

The Ton Duc Thang Museum does not charge for admission and the state budget for staff salaries and museum operations is small. This is why a corner of the museum’s park is being leased for wedding parties and a small ice manufacturing firm has leased a small corner behind the museum to do business.

Some parts of the Museum of Southeastern Armed Forces on Hoang Van Thu Street in Tan Binh District and the Southern Women’s Museum on Vo Thi Sau Street in District 3 are also for lease.

Speaking at the meeting, Vu Kim Anh, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced the city’s plan to help museums improve quality. “VND250 billion is the money for the whole plan,” she said.

For example, in September the HCMC War Remnants Museum will unveil VND30 billion worth of renovations. One of the displays is a Chinook aircraft with a sophisticated camera. VND60 billion has been set aside for the Ho Chi Minh Museum in District 4 to upgrade some sections while the Fine Arts Museum in District 1 will have VND3 billion to build a house block.