Museum of Trade Ceramics

Welcome to the Museum of Trade Ceramics, located at 80 Tran Phu Street in the heart of Hoi An's Ancient Town. You are standing within a meticulously restored 19th-century wooden house, a structure that is as much an artifact as…

Before we focus on the ceramics, let us examine the magnificent structure that houses them. The house at 80 Tran Phu is a masterclass in traditional Asian timber architecture. …

The first major gallery introduces the concept of the Maritime Silk Road and Hoi An's pivotal role within it. For centuries, ceramics were the 'hard currency' of international trade. …

While foreign wares are well-represented, one of the museum's most important collections focuses on indigenous Vietnamese ceramics, particularly those from the Chu Dau kilns in Northern Vietnam. During the 15th and 16th…

Step out into the central courtyard, or 'thien tinh' (heavenly well). In a traditional Hoi An house, the courtyard is the lungs and the heart of the building. …

This poignant section of the museum is dedicated to the 'silent victims' of the trade: the ceramics that never reached their destination. On display are pieces encrusted with coral and sea shells, their glazes dulled by centuries…

As you conclude your visit to the Museum of Trade Ceramics, I invite you to climb the wooden stairs to the upper balcony. From here, you can look out over the tiled rooftops of Hoi An toward the Thu Bon River. …