Reviving the Spirit of Vietnamese Tết at the Cultural and Arts Center on Hàng Buồm
As spring gently arrives in Hanoi, the Cultural and Arts Center at 22 Hàng Buồm transforms into a living portrait of Vietnam’s traditional Tết, bringing history, architecture, and everyday heritage back to life.
A Living Heritage Experience at the Cultural and Arts Center
In the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where centuries of culture converge along narrow streets, the Cultural and Arts Center at 22 Hàng Buồm has become a focal point for an extraordinary cultural exhibition. As part of the annual program “Vietnamese Tết – Tết of the Old Quarter 2026”, the Center introduces a rare and immersive display: a reconstructed ancient house that vividly recreates the lifestyle of a well-to-do Vietnamese family during the Lunar New Year in the past.
Unlike conventional museum exhibitions where artifacts rest silently behind glass, this project reimagines heritage as a living environment—a place where architecture, objects, and human activities interact to tell stories. The exhibition allows visitors not just to observe history, but to step into it.
Preserving Heritage Through Context, Not Glass Cabinets
Speaking with Dân Trí, painter Nguyễn Mạnh Đức, the curator and project leader, explained the core philosophy behind the exhibition. According to him, preserving heritage should go beyond static display.
“Instead of locking heritage objects inside glass cases, we aim to place them within meaningful spaces and contexts, allowing their values to multiply.”
This vision lies at the heart of the Cultural and Arts Center project. By reconstructing ancient houses and integrating traditional objects into realistic domestic settings, the exhibition offers a deeper emotional and cultural connection—particularly meaningful during Tết, when family, memory, and tradition take center stage.
Three Ancient Houses, One Cultural Narrative
The Architecture Behind the Exhibition
The exhibition space features three ancient houses, each built using original wooden frames carefully sourced from different regions of northern Vietnam.
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The main house, placed at the center, originates from Thanh Hóa Province
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Two smaller houses come from suburban areas of Hanoi
Each structure carries the architectural DNA of traditional Vietnamese dwellings—wooden frames, column systems, and tiled roofs that reflect both function and aesthetics of pre-modern life.
Reconstructing the Main House from Thanh Hóa
Originally, the central house was a five-bay structure, featuring five rows of wooden columns and a wide front veranda traditionally used for welcoming guests and serving tea. Due to spatial limitations at the Cultural and Arts Center, only three bays could be reconstructed.
However, rather than discarding the remaining architectural components, the project team creatively reused them to form a traditional entrance gate canopy, preserving the spirit of the original house while adapting it to a new environment.
This thoughtful balance between authenticity and adaptation demonstrates how heritage can be respectfully recontextualized for modern audiences.
The Meticulous Journey of an Ancient House
From Rural Villages to Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Finding suitable ancient houses was no simple task. The project team traveled across regions, searching for structures that retained their original frames and cultural integrity. Once selected, each house underwent a painstaking process:
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Careful dismantling of every wooden component
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Detailed numbering and documentation of columns, beams, and joints
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Transportation by truck to Hoàn Kiếm District
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Reassembly at the Cultural and Arts Center, following traditional construction methods
The wooden frames, columns, and trusses were reconstructed almost exactly as they once stood, with only the roof tiles newly added to ensure structural safety and visual completion.
Inside the House: A Tết of a Prosperous Family
Interior Objects That Tell Stories
Stepping inside the reconstructed home, visitors encounter a refined domestic space reflecting the lifestyle of a prosperous Vietnamese family during Tết in earlier centuries. The interior features:
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Antique wooden furniture
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Timeworn hoành phi (horizontal lacquered boards)
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Câu đối (parallel calligraphy scrolls) bearing auspicious wishes
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Traditional tea sets and ceremonial objects
Each item carries visible traces of time, creating an atmosphere rich in memory and symbolism—particularly resonant during the Lunar New Year, when Vietnamese families traditionally honor ancestors and reflect on continuity.
Showcasing Vietnam’s Living Craft Villages
Two Houses Dedicated to Art and Handicrafts
Beyond the main residence, the Cultural and Arts Center uses the two auxiliary ancient houses as exhibition spaces for traditional craft villages, reinforcing the idea that heritage is not only preserved but continuously created.
Featured villages include:
Thụy Ứng Village
Known for handcrafted wooden items such as:
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Traditional combs
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Mirror frames
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Household accessories
Duyên Thái Village
Renowned for:
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Lacquerware artworks
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Decorative souvenirs
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Contemporary adaptations of traditional techniques
These displays bridge the past and present, showing how ancient craftsmanship still thrives in modern forms.
Bringing Heritage to Life Through Performance
Beyond Objects: Recreating Daily Life
According to painter Nguyễn Mạnh Đức, objects alone are not enough to fully convey the soul of heritage. To elevate the experience, the project proposes incorporating live performers dressed in traditional costumes.
These performers would recreate everyday Tết activities such as:
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Wrapping bánh chưng
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Trimming flowers
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Arranging peach blossom branches
Such interactions would transform the Cultural and Arts Center from a display space into a living cultural stage, allowing visitors to witness traditions as they were practiced, not merely remembered.
Why the Cultural and Arts Center Matters for Cultural Tourism
A New Model for Heritage Interpretation
This exhibition represents a forward-thinking model for cultural tourism in Vietnam. By integrating architecture, crafts, and performative elements, the Cultural and Arts Center demonstrates how heritage can be made accessible, engaging, and emotionally resonant—especially for international visitors seeking authentic cultural experiences.
For travelers, this is not just a visit to a museum, but an opportunity to:
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Understand Vietnamese family values
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Experience Tết beyond festivals and fireworks
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Connect with artisans and living traditions
Cultural and Arts Center: A Must-Visit During Tết in Hanoi
As Hanoi welcomes the Lunar New Year, the Cultural and Arts Center at 22 Hàng Buồm stands as a rare gateway into Vietnam’s cultural soul. Through ancient houses, handcrafted objects, and living traditions, the exhibition honors the past while inviting new generations to engage with it.
In an age where heritage risks becoming static or superficial, this project reminds us that culture thrives when it is lived, shared, and reimagined.
Practical Travel Tip
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Location: Cultural and Arts Center, 22 Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi
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Best time to visit: During Lunar New Year (Tết) events
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Ideal for: Cultural travelers, art lovers, heritage enthusiasts, first-time visitors to Hanoi
