Museum of Cham sculpture is well known as the ancient institute of Cham. The Cham Museum is the largest collection of Cham sculpture and artwork in the world and the pride of Da Nang people. It is one of ideal attractions for tourists when travelling to Da Nang city. Come along with VN Cars discovers the Cham museum to learn more about the historical relics of the art of Cham sculpture.
1. Overview about The Cham Museum
Adress: 2/9 Street, Hai Chau District, Danang City
Located in the heart of Da Nang city, the Museum of Cham Sculpture is an interesting stop for visitors to discover the heritage and cultural treasures in the Central of Vietnam.
This museum saves the ancient monuments and cultural heritages from the past. Moreover, coming to the Cham museum, visitors can immediately feel the difference by Gothic architecture. Besides that, the sun shines bright into every corner bringing fascinating experiences for visitors.
The museum of Cham sculpture Danang was built in 1915, completed in 1916 and opened to the public in 1919. Despite of the two major expansions in 1936 and 2002, the building and the original architectural style of the museum are almost still intact so far.
2. What makes The Cham museum special?
The Cham museum has a total area of 6673 m2 to display ancient artifacts, documents, paintings about Cham architectures and cultures of many countries in Southeast Asia.
The museum was established at the end of the 19th century by the Department of Archaeology of EFEO with a collection of artifacts gathered in central Vietnam, from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh. The building was designed by two French architect, Delaval and Auclair, simulation the most commonly used aspects of Champa towers and temples. Now, the museum exhibits approximately 300 sandstone and terra-cotta sculptures. Most of the artifacts are masterpieces of Champa art and are considered to be equal to any works in the world. All the sculptures are displayed in ten showrooms named after the regions where they have been discovered.
After viewing the pieces of art in the showrooms, you should visit exterior exhibitions. The arts of the Champa were mainly sculpture, but the sculptures are only part of the religious architecture. The temples themselves are considered to be sculptural works. They are decorated on the exterior of their brick walls with bas-relief columns, flowers and leaves and worshipping area between brick pillars.
The artifacts displayed at the museum are altars, statues and decorative pieces collected from Hindu and Buddhist temples and towers with various styles. They were influenced by other cultures but in any period of time or in any style the Champa works were always displayed original characteristics.
The sculptures displayed here mainly have the drifting life as the destiny of the glorious culture that generated them. In spite of the ruins of time, war and even the oblivion, such original Champa sculptures were hardly collected and brought here by many human generations. In this systematic collection, these works of the ancient Champa artists have a new life again.
Coming to the Cham Museum, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the eight centuries of evolution of Champa sculpture. In their own way, the artifacts shows the rise and fall of the Champa civilization. When we stand before the artistic masterpieces, we can make sense of the noblest ideal of art, the creation of the infinite from the finite. That is a thick history book reflecting the ups and downs of Champa art. From lifeless stones came living art, and from these wonderful invaluable artifacts we can enjoy the warmth from the Champa artists’ hand, on the fine skin of the stone-timeless.
3. Basic information about The Cham Museum
- Address : 2/ 9 Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang city
- Website: chammuseum.vn
- Opening time: From 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
- Ticket price: 60,000 VND / person
4. Rules and Regulations
- Visitors to the Cham museum have to present a ticket to the Museum. Should dress neatly and politely.
- Do not bring weapons, explosives, flammable substances, toxic substances such as acids, corrosives, oversized furniture and other dangerous items into the Museum of Cham Sculpture.
- Do not bring large luggage into the Museum. Hand luggage of over 03 kg must be placed at the luggage counter
- Visitors should bring money and high-value items
- No smoking, eat and drink in galleries. Keep general hygiene and garbage in the prescribed place
- Not to bring any banners and pets into the Museum. Please do not make noise when visiting the Museum.
- Do not touch objects, do not climb, sit on the platform displaying artifacts in the Museum.
- Do not use a tripod to take photos. Special filming and photography programs must be approved by Museum’s Leaders.
- Do not climb trees, cut branches andflowers, pick fruits … within the Museum’s campus.
- Visitors are responsible for causing damage to the Museum.