Independence Palace hosts exhibition opened on 28 October
Published on 11/07/2026 at 19:52 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSDesign history and visitor access
- Reunification Hall opened the exhibition at Independence Palace on 28 October 2026.
- Four themes connect architectural drawings with the building's interiors and heritage symbolism.
- Independence Palace was inaugurated in 1966 and became a special national historical and cultural relic in 1976.
- Ho Chi Minh City's Ben Thanh Ward is the location of the exhibition.
At Independence Palace, the Reunification Hall opened the exhibition From Drawings to Symbols on 28 October 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The presentation traces the building from early design ideas to its later place in the country’s history.
Independence Palace exhibition opened on 28 October
The exhibition was organised by the Reunification Hall, the custodian of the site. Its opening on 28 October 2026 is the current news peg for visitors, while the display is linked by the organiser to Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day on 23 November and Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November 2026.
The presentation is arranged around four themes: architectural drawings, architectural language, interior spaces and heritage symbolism. It brings documents and images into the existing building, allowing the design process to be read alongside the rooms and spaces that resulted from it. The official exhibition announcement places the display on the second floor at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street.
How the exhibition connects drawings with the palace
The display examines the architectural choices behind the present structure, including proposals considered before the final design was selected. The material covers the predecessor Norodom Palace, the development of the modern building and the relationship between its architectural language and Vietnamese decorative traditions.
Architect Ngo Viet Thu led the design team for the modern palace, whose master plan was completed in December 1962. Construction had begun on 1 July 1962, and the building was inaugurated on 31 October 1966. The exhibition therefore places its drawings and photographs close to the sixtieth anniversary of that inauguration, a link also reported by VnExpress International.
A modernist landmark shaped by its history
The palace stands on the site of Norodom Palace, which was completed by the French colonial administration in 1871. The earlier building was severely damaged in 1962, leading to the decision to create a new structure on the same site.
The completed building has a T-shaped plan, covers 4,500 square metres and reaches 26 metres in height. Its design combines reinforced concrete and modernist planning with Eastern philosophical references, Vietnamese decorative art and responses to the tropical climate of southern Vietnam.
The site is also associated with the events of 30 April 1975, when tanks breached its gates as the war ended and national reunification followed. In 1976, the palace was designated a special national historical and cultural relic, giving the exhibition’s focus on drawings and heritage a direct connection to the status of the place itself.
Visiting Independence Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The exhibition opened at Independence Palace on 28 October 2026 and is on the second floor of the complex.
- The current presentation gives visitors access to four themes: architectural drawings, architectural language, interior spaces and heritage symbolism.
- The venue is at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The official announcement also lists 106 Nguyen Du as an address for the complex.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Independence Palace on social platforms
These links open searches for Independence Palace on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Independence Palace
When did From Drawings to Symbols open at Independence Palace?
The exhibition opened on 28 October 2026 at the Reunification Hall in Ho Chi Minh City.
What is Independence Palace?
It is a modernist presidential building inaugurated in 1966 on the site of Norodom Palace and designated a special national historical and cultural relic in 1976.
Where is Independence Palace and how do you get there?
The complex is at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The exhibition is on the second floor.
