Museums & galleries
Museum of Trade Ceramics
The Museum of Trade Ceramics is located in Hoi An, central Vietnam. It is a museum showcasing the origins and history of the town and the region in the context of historic trade and relationships with foreign nations such as China, India, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand. The building housing the museum is itself an attractively restored traditional wooden house of Hoi An's old quarter, which, on account of design similarity and a historically significant local Japanese trading community, is likened to those of Kyoto.
What it is
This museum in the old quarter of Hoi An traces the town's role as a trading port, with ceramics recovered from shipwrecks and old trade routes that connected Hoi An to China, Japan, India, Thailand and the Philippines. Beyond the objects on display, the building itself is worth attention: a restored wooden merchant house typical of Hoi An's old town, with joinery and layout that reflect the influence of the Japanese trading community that once lived here, giving it a resemblance to old houses in Kyoto.
Getting there
It sits within Hoi An's pedestrian old quarter, an easy walk from almost anywhere in the historic centre. If arriving from outside town, a taxi or ride-hail into the old quarter drops you within a few minutes' walk, since cars can't enter the core pedestrian streets.
How long to spend
The museum is compact, so 20 to 30 minutes is enough to see the collection and take in the architecture of the house.
When to go
Mornings are quieter before tour groups move through the old quarter. The narrow streets around the museum get busy by midday and especially in the evening when lanterns are lit, so if you want a calmer visit, aim earlier in the day.
Combine it with
Its location makes it easy to pair with other small museums nearby:
- Hoi An Museum (0.2km) — a short walk away, covering the town's broader history
- Museum of Sa Huynh Culture (0.3km) — on ancient cultures that predate the trading port era
- Japanese Bridge (0.4km) — the covered bridge tied to the same Japanese community referenced in the museum's architecture
- Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum (0.5km) — photography documenting Vietnam's ethnic minorities
Since all four are within a few minutes of each other on foot, they're easy to string together into one walking loop through the old quarter.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
