Having just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in the morning, Quynh Phuong, a female visitor from Hanoi, did not opt for a cafe or a familiar check-in spot. Instead, she and her friends headed to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum.
From the exhibition area above ground, Phuong followed a passage down to the basement. The stairs narrowed, the light receded behind her and the air turned cool. “It feels slightly nerve-racking, as though I am stepping into a world completely cut off from outside,” she said.
The Hanoi visitor said she had initially planned only to tour the main galleries, but became eager to explore after hearing about the newly opened bunker area. “I did not expect to find a structure like this in the middle of the city. Only after going down did I realise the place was larger and more complex than I had imagined,” she said.
Quynh Phuong said she was particularly struck by the way the structure had been built, from the museum as a whole to the bunker below. “The bunker is not elaborate in design, but it is solid enough to show the careful planning of those who built it,” she said.
Further inside, Quynh Phuong paid particular attention to the room housing an old generator, one of the few pieces of equipment preserved almost entirely in its original state.
“According to information from the museum, this machine has been here for a very long time and is one of the rare details to retain almost all of its original function. Standing here, I feel as though I am coming very close to the past,” she said, her expression revealing both curiosity and emotion.
Quynh Phuong was not alone. Many young visitors also appeared surprised on their first exploration of the underground space. Nhi Kim, 23, also from Hanoi, said her trip to Ho Chi Minh City had proved more impressive than expected. Before arriving, she had no idea the bunker had only recently opened to visitors, making the experience all the more meaningful.
“Before going in, I thought the museum might be rather dry, but the bunker was fascinating and really drew me in. Walking through the long corridors, past thick iron doors and interconnected rooms, I felt both curious and excited. In particular, the old patterned floor tiles made me feel as though I was truly walking alongside history,” Kim said.
A middle-aged visitor travelling with family said the experience was not only unusual but also rich in value, because the bunker helped visitors picture the historical context more clearly. “This is a very worthwhile attraction, especially for young people,” he said.
The secret bunker system lies about 4 metres underground beneath the museum. It is a fortified shelter built of reinforced concrete, with walls up to 1 metre thick. The interior is about 2 metres high and consists of multiple corridors linking functional areas, forming a large-scale shelter system in the heart of the city.
The bunker was designed to withstand the blast of artillery and bombs weighing about 500 kilogrammes. Along the route, parts of the floor still retain the original patterned tiles, interspersed with sections reinforced with cement, clearly showing the marks of time and later renovation.
One striking feature is a system of six solid iron doors, each fitted with a wheel handle and large locking bolts, designed to ensure safety in emergencies. Inside, the bunker comprises six rooms connected by corridors, including a reception room once used by Ngo Dinh Diem, the president of South Vietnam.
The Ho Chi Minh City Museum said some rooms no longer have documentation clearly identifying their original function, and have therefore been repurposed as exhibition spaces for visitors.
The current display combines original and modern elements. Screens installed on walls and along corridors show plans of Gia Long Palace, historical documents and images related to the bunker’s construction period.
Several notable artefacts have been preserved, including a table and chair set dating from before 1963 and documents on construction costs. According to those records, the total cost of completing the structure exceeded VND 12.5 million, or roughly USD 490,000, a very large sum at the time.
Under the original design, the bunker system could operate independently in the event of an incident. In addition to the main rooms, there were smaller recesses for shelter, along with communications, water supply and drainage systems. In an emergency, people could be moved underground in about five minutes, ensuring complete safety for a short period.
The bunker’s exit lies behind the grounds and connects to major roads such as Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Pasteur. The roof of the bunker was camouflaged with greenery, helping the structure blend into the landscape above.
The Ho Chi Minh City Museum was formerly Gia Long Palace, one of the city’s oldest buildings. It was designed by French architect Alfred Foulhoux and built between 1885 and 1890 in a neoclassical style, with a symmetrical layout and intricate decorative details.
After passing through many upheavals, it served first as the residence of the governor of Cochinchina, then as the temporary home and workplace of Ngo Dinh Diem after the Independence Palace was bombed in 1962. After 1975, the building was converted into a museum and has remained so ever since, becoming one of the best-known attractions for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City as well as a popular photography spot for young people.
The bunker system was built between 1962 and 1963 at the request of Ngo Dinh Diem amid fears of a coup. The project was initially designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu, before being taken over and completed by engineer Phan Dinh Tang.
After restoration work, the bunker was given additional access routes and an upgraded lighting system, making visits easier. Visitors can now explore a stretch of about 150 metres underground.
Admission is VND 30,000 (USD 1.15), per person, including access to the bunker. School pupils, students, older people and people with disabilities receive a 50 per cent discount, while children under six and some special cases are admitted free of charge.
