After the 'stay-at-home' order applied to Da Nang’s population has been lifted, many museums citywide have resumed their operations. Aside from tackling a huge backlog of work, museum staff have been busy cleaning artifacts and rearranging display spaces inside the museums in preparation for their further reopenings as the COVID-19 pandemic has been brought under control in the city.

A staff employee at the Museum of Da Nang meticulously removing dust an artifact

Artist Truong Nguyen Nguyen Kha, Head of the Professions Office at the Da Nang-based Fine Arts Museum, remarked that 4 security guards were assigned to stay at the museum for working under ‘3-on- the-spot’ (on-site production, on-site dining, on-site resting) approach during the social distancing period.

Meanwhile, work-at-home staff were responsible for using popular social networks to organise online exhibitions and virtual tours in an effort to help their audience access remotely these events during their closings.

“So far, all museum staff have returned to work. They have been focusing on checking the status of artifacts at storage warehouses and rearranging display spaces inside the museum in preparation for their further reopenings” said Mr Kha.

From now until late 2021, the museum plans to host an exhibition entitled "Images of women in arts works by the late artist Le Cong Thanh" in the build up to the 91^st founding anniversary of the Vietnam Women's Union (October 20, 1930-2021), along with a gallery dedicated to a collection of comic paintings created by painter Vinh Khoa on the occasion of the Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23).

In addition, the museum will coordinate with the City Fine Arts Association to host an exhibition themed 'Da Nang Fine Arts 2021' in early December.

“Depending on the Covid-19 situation and the city's permission to reopen to visitors, our museum will opt for organising such events online or offline. In any form of organisation, we will try our bests to ensure the ultimate safety of our staff and visitors amid the pandemic" said artist Nguyen Kha.

Similarly, after returning to work, staff at the Museum of Da Nang have embarked on completing the preparation for the new museum project, as well as making the museum a safe and enjoyable place for all visitors to prepare for their reopenings to the public.

Mr Tran Van Chuan, Head of the Education - Communications Office of the Da Nang Museum, revealed that his museum has built a plan to welcome the return of visitors amid the pandemic. In which, all visitors to the museum will be required to declare their health status via online apps and comply with the 5K recommendations of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

He added “Our museum has always maintained clean display spaces and preserved exhibits during their closings.”

At the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, the preservation and protection of artifacts that are hundreds or thousands of years old have been strictly done.

Director of the museum Ho Tan Tuan said that “After returning to work, the museum staff have been busy cleaning and disinfecting exhibition spaces in a bid to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for all visitors in the coming time”

Currently, all museum staff have already received the first vaccine dose and are awaiting their second to improve their initial protection to ensure their safety as serving the public.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG - Translating by M.DUNG