The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts occupies a handsome 1930s colonial-era mansion in District 1, its yellow-painted facade typical of the French period. The collection spans three floors and covers Vietnamese art from traditional lacquerware and silk paintings through socialist realism of the war years to contemporary installation art.
The most interesting sections are the wartime paintings — vivid propaganda works that have become remarkable historical documents — and the floor of contemporary Vietnamese art, which reflects the country's rapid social changes. The building itself is one of the better-preserved colonial interiors in the city, with original tiles and woodwork. Admission is very cheap and the museum is rarely crowded.