Hoi An gets traditional medicine museum

The museum at 46 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street is a place where visitors can learn about traditional medical practices of Vietnam and Hoi An, and admire restored artifacts.

The museum, opened on March 15, is housed in an old house with traditional architecture, and has six display areas with nearly 200 original relics.

The museum recreates the ambience of a traditional drugstore, a display area with herbal cabinets, an area for diagnosis and another for patients to wait.

There is also a reading area with many invaluable books on oriental medicine.

According to historical records, during the 16th and 17th centuries Faifo - Hoi An, an international trading port and urban area, was famous for its traditional medicine.

The diversity of herbal plants and the large number of Chinese and Vietnamese pharmacies led to the development of traditional medicine in Hoi An and its surrounds.

A re-created scene shows a traditional physician diagnosing a patient.

The Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation is currently managing six other themed museums -- Sa Huynh Culture, Trade Ceramics, Folk Culture, History and Culture, Hoi An Revolutionary History, and Cao Hong Lanh Memorial House.

"The establishment of the Hoi An Museum of Traditional Medicine is a great addition to the thematic museums on Tran Phu and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets," a spokesperson of the center said.