Ho Chi Minh City

FITO Museum

FITO Museum at 41 Hoang Du Khuong Street explores the history of Vietnamese medicine through apothecary displays, historical medical instruments and wooden exhibition rooms. Allow around 60–90 minutes if you enjoy spe...

Quick planning

CHUNG TA TIP

Who it suits and how to plan

Traditional pharmacy cabinets and preparation tools

Wooden rooms and recreated apothecary settings

A specialist cultural and craft-focused visit

Suggested visit duration

Around 60–90 minutes inside, plus transport

Best time to visit

Morning or early afternoon, with time before closing

General planning suggestions; check access and opening arrangements for your visit.

Practical information

Tickets: Paid admission. Confirm current adult, concession and activity-package prices, eligibility and inclusions before booking.
Opening hours: Daily 08:30–17:00; confirm holidays, last admission and guiding schedules
Address: 41 Hoàng Dư Khương, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ask about lifts, steps and wheelchair routes across the floors. Follow rules for photography, handling and demonstrations. Exhibits are not medical advice. Museum phone: +84 28 3864 2430.

Photos

5 photo

Details

Visit the city museum, not a factory site

This is the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, known in Vietnamese as Bảo tàng Y học cổ truyền Việt Nam. Navigate to “FITO Museum, 41 Hoàng Dư Khương” and check the building number. Older listings use Ward 12, District 10 for this location.

FITO also has pharmacy and factory-related visitor sites elsewhere, with different journeys and programmes. Give the full street address when making arrangements rather than requesting only “FITO”.

Read the history through cabinets and tools

Apothecary cabinets, scales, mortars, pestles, cutting tools, jars and written materials illustrate how medicinal ingredients were identified, processed and prepared. You can compare tools with similar purposes without needing specialist medical vocabulary.

Carved columns and recreated pharmacy settings are also part of the interest. This is a place for looking closely at objects and spaces rather than rushing through a large general collection. Read the labels or ask for explanations to understand what the tools did.

Ask separately about tours, languages and activities

The museum introduces medical history through films and guided visits. Tour languages and times depend on the day’s arrangements. Ask separately about English commentary, Chinese subtitles for the film, or accompaniment by a Chinese-speaking guide when booking.

When choosing a ticket, ask whether it includes tea or an activity involving medicinal ingredients, and whether you will watch a demonstration or take part. Confirm the inclusions of your selected option. Buying health products is not a requirement for visiting.

Check the route through the building if mobility matters

Exhibitions are spread over multiple floors. Before visiting with older companions, a wheelchair or a pushchair, ask about lift operation, remaining steps and shorter routes. Having a lift does not establish step-free access to every room.

Take your time around the displays and wooden detailing. Follow photography rules, avoid prohibited flash and do not touch objects. If children want to try a tool, first ask whether it belongs to an approved hands-on activity.

Allow 60–90 minutes plus the journey

Set aside roughly an hour to an hour and a half inside, with hotel transport added separately. A taxi or ride-hailing service is practical from central Ho Chi Minh City; journey times vary with your starting point and traffic. Confirm where the driver can stop.

Plan within the daily 08:30–17:00 visiting window and avoid arriving close to closing. Ask about holidays, last admission, guiding and ticket categories before setting out. You can contact the museum on +84 28 3864 2430 for current admission and package details.

Questions before you go

Is medical knowledge necessary? No. The objects, pharmacy settings and woodwork also interest visitors who enjoy culture and history. The visit is educational, not a consultation or a basis for self-medication.

Can you walk here as part of the cathedral and post office circuit? The museum is outside that central sightseeing cluster. Allow a separate journey, and avoid fitting too many museums into the same day.