Thanh Ha Terracotta Park, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam

5Zoe V 5:00 PM Apr 24, 2022

Don't miss this fantastic museum, the kids loved it too
We went to the Thanh Ha Terracotta Park as a morning activity with the kids (age 8 and 10) before heading to the beach in the afternoon. I had no idea what to expect and was bowled over to find a truly exceptional art gallery full of both traditional and contemporary art. The museum buildings are thoughtfully designed inspired by clay kilns, with a toy-town all around the grounds made out of terra cotta. The kids loved the tiny scale models outside of famous buildings like the Arc du Triomphe, the US Capitol, Big Ben etc and ran around spotting their favourites, and then were given the chance to actually try making a pot on a wheel with an expert potter giving them a hand. The galleries had some exceptional pieces of art, not just pottery but paintings and mixed media installations as well as historical examples of pottery from the various regions of the country. The piece de resistance are the unbelievably detailed wall sculptures telling the story of Hoi An and Vietnamese culture, made of the local clay with fascinating tiny details, the kids loved finding little fish or dogs or spotting places they'd been in Vietnam rendered in clay on the walls. This is the kind of museum we would go out of our way to find in London or Paris, and to find it in Hoi An was just fantastic. Highly, highly recommended!

4A T 5:00 PM Dec 31, 2019

See Something A Bit Different
I have been to Hoi An twice now and like most visitors concentrate my time on the Old Town. The Terracotta Park was recommended by our hostess at our accommodation. We went approximately mid morning and for a few dollar taxi ride we were there. We didn't know what to expect as from the front entrance really all you concentrate on is the large brick building. Inside was a wonderful display of sculptures. The displays are set out all over the multi level building until you reach the roof top level. On the day we went, there were very few people (which is nice). There was no rush and you can view everything at your own pace. I am no art critic or even enthusiast but the art is excellent and professionally displayed. There is a good amount of displays giving the history of the excavation sites and the potters for the historian visitors too. Because of the clay and brick the main building is quite cool which is a relief from the heat. Outside, throughout the garden are all the wonders of the world sculptures. The detail is impressive. There are little surprise sculptures everywhere outside. I feel this place may be a little underrated but really feel it is worth a look. There are no bells and whistles, just good art and a testament to the vision of the men and women who made the pieces and this place. I would recommend this place to most people. I think kids will especially enjoy the garden sculptures. It is more than you expect from the outside. I recall there was a small cafe inside and table and chairs to rest both inside and out. It feels a bit isolated but the friendly lady at the ticket gate phoned and organised us a taxi back to our hotel. A good experience for a chill out day before hitting the lights and lanterns again. Support something that I think is unique to Hoi An.