Phở (Noodle) Museum, the first privately operated culinary museum in Vietnam, opened in Ho Chi Minh city on January 15, providing visitors with the over-100-year journey of Phở, the country’s most iconic dish, from humble street stalls to dining tables around the world.
The Phở Museum is expected to welcome around 1,500 - 2,000 visitors per day
Licensed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the Phở Museum is dedicated to preserving, developing, and promoting Vietnam’s culinary heritage to both domestic and international visitors.
Located at 211 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, the museum spans approximately 800 square meters and features three experiential floors, offering a closed-loop culinary journey that lasts between 60 and 75 minutes.
Through a continuous storytelling approach, the museum presents Vietnamese culture, lifestyle, and identity as seen through the lens of Phở. Visitors are guided through historical settings, cultural spaces, social life, and the dish’s path to international recognition.
Phở’s century-long story is brought to life through films, artifacts, documents, art installations, and modern interactive exhibits, highlighting how the dish has evolved alongside the nation’s history. The exhibition features hundreds of images, objects, and records from Vietnam’s three regions, offering insights into ingredients, preparation techniques, craftsmanship, and traditional knowledge behind each bowl of phở.
The Phở Museum showcases artifacts, documents, ingredients, preparation processes, craftsmanship, and the folk knowledge embedded in each bowl of phở
Le Nhat Thanh, Director of the Phở Museum, the institution will regularly research and introduce new themes related to phở and Vietnamese cuisine, while continuously updating exhibitions and experiential activities to enhance visitor engagement.
Thanh noted that the idea was inspired by Japan’s ramen museum, raising the question of why Phở, Vietnam’s national dish, had not yet been honoured in a similar way. Strategically located in the city centre, the museum primarily targets international visitors, and serve as a meaningful destination for phở enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of the dish.
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a 24/7 food court, the Phở Museum expects to attract around 1,500 - 2,000 visitors per day, approximately 60% of whom are international tourists and tour groups.