This can be found at 41 Hoang Du Khuong in Saigon’s District 10. This museum tells the story of Vietnamese traditional Medicine throughout the ages. More than three thousand exhibits are to be found in this pleasant building in a pleasant area of District 10. The name comes from the FITO Pharmaceutical Company that own the museum.
Chinese and Vietnamese traditional medicine have of course got histories that go back to the stone ages. The lovely building with its carved wooden interior is a really excellent setting for which to explore this interesting topic. Covering 6 floors, it has 18 exhibition rooms, each one displaying many interesting artefacts relating to this fascinating subject. The story of ancient medicine is told in carved wooden pictures. Some fifty wood carvers worked for three years to complete this part of the museum.
The building itself is worthy of a visit, with different rooms demonstrating the architecture of different regions and people within the country. The temple door frame is built ibn the style of a Northern House from the Red River Basin, there is a Hué style balcony and some depictions of Lingas from the Cham Ethnic minority.
Vietnamese traditional medicine can trace its roots back through more than 2000 years of history. Widely accepted as the medical founders of Vietnam’s Traditional Medicine, the greatest physicians were Tue Tinh who lived in the14th century and Hai Thuong Lang Ong Le Huu Trac from the18th century. In line with Vietnamese custom Tue Tinh, as the greatest ever living practitioner, is regarded as a Saint.
This is a really good smallish museum and a great place to spend a few hours delving into a subject that has many interesting facets.