Côn Đảo Museum is located at No. 10 Nguyễn Huệ Street, Côn Đảo. Set within a campus of more than 2 hectares, the museum features 1,700 m² of exhibition space and was built with an investment of over VND 65 billion. It serves as a place to preserve, conserve, and present historical and cultural artifacts, telling the story of the land and people of Côn Đảo through many heroic periods of national history.
Exhibition Layout
The museum includes one ceremonial hall and four main thematic sections:
- Côn Đảo – Nature and People
- Côn Đảo – An Earthly Hell
- Côn Đảo – A Frontline and a School
- Côn Đảo Today
In addition, the museum has a specialized exhibition room for thematic and temporary displays.
What Visitors Will Discover
At Côn Đảo Museum, visitors can explore the geographical location and natural conditions of the Côn Đảo archipelago, along with photographs and artifacts that expose the crimes of French colonialism and U.S. imperialism and their puppet administrations. The displays vividly portray patriotic scholars, imprisoned revolutionaries, and the brutal conditions of incarceration, torture, and exile in what was once the largest and harshest prison system in Indochina.
The museum also honors the indomitable spirit and sacrifices of revolutionary heroes and patriotic compatriots who lived, fought, and laid down their lives for the independence and freedom of the nation.
With nearly 2,000 documents and artifacts, the museum enables visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Côn Đảo’s nature and people from prehistoric and protohistoric times to the present, as well as the 113-year history (1862–1975) of struggle within the Côn Đảo prison system—often called an “earthly hell.”
Ceremonial Hall (Central Hall)
The ceremonial hall features a 6-meter-tall stainless-steel sculpture group symbolizing the unyielding spirit of Communist revolutionaries—arms raised in a yearning for freedom, breaking chains, and associated with the image of a peace dove.
Behind the sculpture is a stone relief made from locally quarried Côn Đảo stone, designed to resemble interlocking geological layers. Engraved into the surface are prisoner numbers, symbolizing the countless generations of political prisoners exiled to Côn Đảo over 113 years (1862–1975).
A Place of Memory and Understanding
Côn Đảo Museum stands as a vital place to preserve, display, and interpret the historical and cultural heritage of the island. A visit offers profound insight into Côn Đảo’s natural environment and human story, from ancient times to modern development, and a comprehensive understanding of the 113-year struggle within the Côn Đảo prison system—Vietnam’s enduring symbol of resilience and sacrifice.
