In December 2016, the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum at 78 Le Duan officially opened to the public. The museum is the result of an upgrade, which began in May 2015, of the former Centre of Cultural Heritage Management.

Visitors at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum

Over 800 exhibits totalling more than 10 billion VND (equivalent to around 430,000 USD) are now on display at the 3-storey museum.

The first floor houses a number of art works donated by painters from Da Nang and elsewhere in the central region. These works have won notable prizes at national fine arts exhibitions since 1976. In addition, there are works which won prizes at the Da Nang arts creation camps in 2014 and 2016. They were created by famous domestic painters such as Vu Trong Thuan, Vinh Phoi, Ho Huu Thu, Duong Sen, Ca Le Thang, Ho Minh Quan, Le Thanh Tung, Le Tri Dung and Nguyen Phu Hau.

The second floor displays many modern art works, whilst the third floor showcases ancient, folk and applied arts. Included are collections of Tuong masks, worship mascots, pattern art on ethnic costumes, jewellery and fabric, sculpture arts in temples and pagodas, and pottery and ceramic arts.

During 2017, a total of 10 exhibitions of arts works were organised at the museum in order to meet the demand for cultural and art research activities of local residents and visitors.

Many of the exhibitions were highly appreciated by visitors and arts experts. Included are exhibitions on celebrating the 20 years since Da Nang was recognised as a centrally-governed city on 1 January 1997, Spring And Animal Designations, Meeting In March, Colours of April, The Emotion of May, and Ageless Beauty.

Notably, the museum successfully held an exhibition of paintings about Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia on 12 September. The exhibition aimed to enhance cultural and arts exchange activities amongst painters in the three Southeast Asian countries, as well as deepen their long-lasting friendship and solidarity. 

As of early November 2018, a total of 12 fine arts and photo exhibitions had been held at the museum.

Specifically mentioned was an exhibition themed 'Connection' which featured nearly 60 paintings about the land and people of Viet Nam and foreign countries by 14 European artists.

Also, an exhibition featuring as many as 200 photos and documents relating to ‘Nghe’, a spiritual animal in Vietnamese culture, drew a great deal of attention from locals and visitors.

Most recently, a photo exhibition themed ‘The Sea in Us’ has been taken place at the museum.

On display have been a total of over 70 black and white photos taken by local photographer My Dung during his recent trip from Quang Ninh Province’s Mong Cai Town to Ca Mau Province. The displayed photos depict the beauty of sea, the culture of fishing villages, and the lifestyles of fishermen.

Through his collection, photographer My Dung wants to convey a message of encouraging the public to get involved in protecting marine environment today and forever.

Mr Ha Thanh Van, Director of the museum, proudly said since 2014 his museum has organised 5 fine arts creation camps for painters from across the country in order to seek highly valuable art works.

Mr Huynh Van Hung, Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, remarked that the city’s Fine Arts Museum is the third of its kind in the country after Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

“The museum is very inviting to visitors from both home and abroad, as well as a best place for arts lovers from across the region, and for educating locals in aesthetics”, Mr Hung noted.