The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, is organizing a series of on-site and online digital experiences from June 1-7 to mark MuseumWeek 2026.
Children enjoy the VR experience of visiting Dien Huu pagoda. Photo: VNA
The event provides an opportunity to review the museum’s digitalisation efforts while highlighting the need for institutions to actively shape, rather than simply adapt to, the digital future.
In recent years, the museum has stepped up the application of technology to transform traditional exhibition spaces into interactive and immersive experiences. The process began in 2021 with the launch of an exploration room for children featuring interactive screens.
Since 2022, the museum has diversified its offerings through themed tours, educational games and QR code-based treasure hunts. A notable breakthrough came during last year’s Mid-Autumn Festival with the successful introduction of the “AI Paper Doctor” model. By integrating mechanical components into a robot framework and equipping it with the museum’s specialised database, the model can move and engage in direct conversations with visitors, helping students better understand the significance of artefacts in a natural and engaging way.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Le Hai Dang, Director of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the integration of technology and artificial intelligence aims to transform collections displayed behind glass cases into multi-sensory journeys of discovery.
AI enables the personalisation of visitor experiences and encourages deeper exploration of the stories behind cultural heritage, he said. Rather than replacing humans, the museum uses AI as a tool to revitalise exhibition spaces and strengthen public engagement. The approach has produced encouraging results, attracting large numbers of young visitors and helping them access reliable information in a short period of time.
The experience has also highlighted new challenges for the museum sector in defining the role of AI in heritage preservation, identifying target audiences and ensuring that technology remains under human control.
Dang stressed that cultural institutions can no longer remain at the theoretical level but must actively embrace change, move beyond their comfort zones and continuously experiment with new technologies. This, he noted, is essential to ensuring that technology serves as an effective tool for preserving and promoting the values of Vietnam’s cultural heritage in a sustainable manner./.