Located at 21 Tran Hung Dao Street in Pleiku Ward, the museum has been redesigned to give its collection a new presentation while preserving the historical character of the site.
The Antiquities Museum first opened in May 2013 in a building renovated from the former Ho Quoc Pagoda, which stands within the grounds of the Pleiku Museum.
It currently preserves 34 artifacts originating from Gia Lai, along with 72 rare antiquities from the Dong Son Culture dating back about 3,000 years. The Dong Son collection was donated by the Vietnam Center for Research and Conservation of Antiquities in August 2014.
The renovation has retained the main hall of the former pagoda, as well as 12 mural paintings depicting the birth, spiritual journey and enlightenment of the Buddha.
The result is an unusual cultural space that combines a museum and a pagoda, offering visitors both a place of tranquility and an opportunity to explore the country’s heritage.
Hundreds of artifacts on display demonstrate the diversity of materials, craftsmanship, designs and origins across different historical periods. The collection ranges from unglazed ceramics and earthenware to glazed pottery associated with ceramic traditions including Dong Son, Chu Dau, Go Sanh, Quang Duc, Chau O and Lai Thieu.
The museum also houses artifacts originating from China and other Southeast Asian countries.
Vases, jars and pots provide a glimpse into the evolution of ceramic techniques and artistic styles while reflecting everyday life, practical needs, aesthetic preferences and centuries of cultural exchange and adaptation between regions.
Among the highlights is a collection of ancient jars, one of the distinctive features of the Pleiku Museum’s ceramics collection.
Through centuries of trade and cultural exchange, the jars reached the Central Highlands and gradually became part of community life. For the Jrai and Bahnar ethnic groups, they are more than household containers.
Individual jars can have their own names, origins and values, and are treasured, preserved and handed down through generations.
They feature in important rituals and life events, including ear-blowing ceremonies, weddings, grave-leaving ceremonies, celebrations for new communal houses and new rice festivals. The jars are also closely linked to the gong culture of the Central Highlands.
Collector Man Phong Son, from Kmrơng Prông hamlet in Tan An Ward, Dak Lak Province, said the museum’s reopening had been a long-held wish not only among collectors but also among many others interested in the region’s heritage.
“After the renovation and new display arrangements, each artifact stands out with its own unique features, looking much more attractive than in previous exhibitions,” he said.