Vietnam Near and Far

The exhibition Vietnam Near and Far at the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures presents traditional Vietnamese culture and the long history of the country, as well as contemporary modern Vietnam. It also tells the story of the large Vietnamese community living in the Czech Republic, the mutual relations between both cultures, and the issues of living together. The exhibition is divided into three parts. The first part, titled Vietnam Far, introduces visitors to the history and culture of the country through period photographs and infographics with maps, emphasizing the contrast between traditional and modern Vietnam and recalling the succession of dynasties, periods of colonization, and the complex 20th century. The second part, Czechs and Vietnam, focuses on the relations between the two countries and Czech exploration of the Vietnam and Indochina region – including through exhibits from the Náprstek Museum collections and a borrowed declaration of the founding of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam from the National Archives of the Czech Republic. The third part, Vietnam Near, offers a view of the Vietnamese minority living in the Czech Republic and includes an extensive multimedia section with audio and video interviews with witnesses and personalities from the community. The exhibition is visually inspired by Vietnamese streets, and all labels are trilingual – in Czech, English, and Vietnamese. This is the first project of the Náprstek Museum in which the community it concerns directly participated.