Cham Museum in Da Nang

 

  • Location: Số 02 đường 2/9 phường Bình Hiên quận Hải Châu Bình Hiên Da NangĐà Nẵng 55000Việt Nam
  • Opening hour: 7:00am-5:00 pm
  • Entrance ticket: 40,000 VND

 

Cham Museum

Cham Museum, also called Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, lies on the two most charming streets in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, namely Bach Dang Street and Trung Nu Vuong Street, near Dragon bridge and Han river. Built in 1915, Cham Museum preserves Champa stone carvings and pottery carvings from the 7th to the 15th centuries. It is the largest museum of stone carving art in Vietnam and may be the most worth visiting spot in downtown Da Nang.

 

History of Cham Museum

With the support of the French Far East Institute, the Cham Museum was built in 1915 and opened for the first time in 1919. It was originally as the Musée Henri Parmentier. French architects embedded some traditional Cham elements in the composition. The museum was upgraded and extended twice in the past few decades. The first expansion was in the mid-1930s and the second was between 2002 and 2004. It continues to increase the area of the display space. In addition, the museum spread its areas for storage, a library, a restoration workshop and offices for staff. In 2008, Cham Museum was under the jurisdiction of Da Nang city Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism.

 

Introduction of Cham Ethnic Group

Cham Museum

Cham people is one of the Vietnamese ethnic minorities, with more than 50,000 people at present in Vietnam. Historically, the Cham people had established a strong kingdom in central Vietnam, but gradually declined and moved to two provinces in southern Vietnam.

 

In 192 AD, Champa Kingdom was established, with the Brahmanism as the state religion. In the 5th century, the Cham people created their own language, enabling its culture to be continuously spread and preserved. The folk literature and art of the Cham is rich in content, among which the most prominent are ancient legends and poems. The folk songs and classical music of the Cham have a great influence on the Vietnamese folk songs and classical music living in central Vietnam. In the middle of the 18th century, the Champa Kingdom was eliminated and annexed by the Annam Kingdom. Cham is a nation with a long history and rich culture, forming a unique Champa civilization.

 

Basics of Cham Museum

Cham Museum

The Cham Museum preserves the 7th to 15th century Champa stone carvings and pottery carvings unearthed from various parts of Vietnam which are diverse on artistic styles, shapes, and architecture, with nearly a thousand fine art masterpieces. The Cham Museum has a rich collection of stone carvings, including various stone statues, stone beasts and various architectural stone sculptures. Now, more than 300 masterpieces are on display inside the museum, and the rest scattered throughout the museum and are safely stored.

 

Cham Museum can be divided into a series of display rooms named after the areas where these works were found, such as My Son, Tra Kieu, Dong Duong, Thap Mam, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Kon Tum. There is a restoration model of My Son Champa in the pavilion. It is said that the shape of this museum is similar to the style of the Cham Tower style, and the exterior wall is painted yellow, making it more conspicuous in the downtown area.

 

Cham Museum is the largest museum of stone carving art in Vietnam. Statues of the mascots, Hindu deities and scenes of daily life are elaborately carved, which still has kept their sheer beauty so far. Tourists will admire the creativity of talented ancient artists. It enables visitors to learn about the history of the development of Champa and the Vietnamese nation, and is well worth a special visit to Da Nang. Cham Sculpture Museum plays a key role in the development of Da Nang tourism.

 

How to Get to Cham Museum

The Cham Museum is located on the left bank of Han River, near dragon bridge, about 4 kilometers from the airport and about 6 kilometers from Da Nang Railway Station. It is relatively easy for visitors to find. The museum is within walking distance from the downtown Da Nang city. Travelers may also be able to ride motorcycles, bicycles to travel with other attractions together.

 

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