National treasures are being carefully packaged for relocation to the new site

Ensuring artifact safety during the relocation

On November 1st, Thua Thien Hue History Museum began relocating 32,107 artifacts to the new location at 268 Dien Bien Phu Street, Hue City, to transfer the management of the Quoc Tu Giam Heritage site to Hue Monument Conservation Center.

The relocation, though long planned, was only implemented now after resolving various challenges.Among the museum’s artifacts are the Vân Trạch Hoà altar platform and the Linh Thái tower top and base, which have been classified as National Treasures.

According to Thua Thien Hue History Museum leaders, packaging the artifacts is one of the most important priorities during the relocation process. Therefore, calculations and appropriate materials must be used for packaging from the inside out to ensure stability and safety during the transport.

“To ensure scientific accuracy and adherence to museological principles, we invited experts from Hanoi to train all staff and workers on the use of materials, supporting equipment, and packaging procedures,” said Mr. Nguyen Duc Loc, Director of Thua Thien Hue History Museum.

Before packaging, museum staff reviewed, numbered, categorized, and inventoried all artifacts by storage area and material type. For heavy and large-volume artifacts, special packaging plans were developed, and coordination with reputable transportation companies was arranged to ensure artifact safety during the relocation to the new site.

“The preservation and packaging process must ensure careful and meticulous handling, using bubble wrap to protect artifacts with an even thick layer, with attached notes about artifact conditions. Additionally, wooden boxes/metal racks/lifting straps are designed as external supports so that when lifted and moved, artifacts don’t bear direct or uneven force from humans and forklifts,” said a museum official.

Handing over the Quoc Tu Giam Heritage site after therelocation

For national treasures and bulky artifacts like anchors and dugout canoes, the museum prepared wooden frames and boxes to place artifacts inside, using foam padding, cotton, and PE foam for absolute protection. The relocation of these artifacts was carefully timed to facilitate transportation and avoid affecting traffic.

Large trucks and crane systems transport artifacts from Quoc Tu Giam Heritage site

As for Mr. Loc, moving this large volume of artifacts will continue until mid-November and may extend longer depending on weather conditions. The relocation process will be documented in a diary.

To ensure safe artifact transportation, Thua Thien Hue History Museum has requested support from traffic police and traffic inspectors to escort and guide vehicles carrying artifacts safely and smoothly.

“When artifact vehicles arrive at the new warehouse at 268 Dien Bien Phu, our staff will directly count the number of boxes on the vehicles. Additionally, there will be a team to unload boxes into storage, check box seals, record receiving times, and potentially open 3 to 4 boxes to verify if the number of artifacts matches the signed inventory list,” said Mr. Loc.

Previously in 2022, Thua Thien Hue History Museum, with military support, relocated large artifacts including tanks, aircraft, and artillery pieces. According to a museum representative, once the current relocation is complete, they will proceed with the formal handover of the Quoc Tu Giam Heritage site to Hue Monument Conservation Center.