Built with inspiration from the curves of pottery wheels, the Bat Trang Pottery Museum is an ideal tourist destination in Hanoi.
Bat Trang Pottery Museum is located in Village No.5, Bat Trang Commune, Gia Lam District, Hanoi. Construction commenced in 2018 on an area of 3,700 square metres.
It was developed in the context that the villages around Hanoi are affected by the rapid urbanization rate along with the change of living patterns of households in the region. The mission is to create a community that contributes to preserving traditional values while promoting commercial values.
With the idea of combining tourism production and development, the museum model is a place to display handicraft ceramic products, as well as a stopover in the tourist route to visit craft villages along the Hong River.
What’s in the museum?
The museum consists of seven funnel-shaped buildings which are intertwined together, their outer walls carved into multi-layered patterns that forms a unique work. The design is said to have been inspired by pottery wheels – the signature tool of potters. From another perspective, it looks like a giant ancient pottery kiln. The work also makes the most of Bat Trang Village’s ancient materials such as traditional ceramic tiles, mosaic tiles and baked tiles that bring the authentic colours to the museum.
There are three exhibition floors. The first floor is an area for artists to display their most valuable works, thereby connecting visitors. This is also a suitable place for programs, big events or traditional cultural festivals…
The 2nd and 3rd floor – the central area of the Bat Trang Ceramic Museum is the area to display artistic ceramic products throughout the process of formation and development of the Bat Trang ceramic village, including the types of ceramic glazes, from ancient to modern, with the changes in colour, shape and decorative motifs on ceramic products. The area helps visitors to gain an overview of the history of the craft village.
Meanwhile the rooftop has an outdoor theatre with stages reserved for events and performances. There will also be spaces for restaurants and cafes as well.
How to get there?
The museum is about 15km away from Hanoi city center so there are several options:
– By bus: You can take bus number 47, near Dong Xuan market and stop right at Bat Trang village.
– By motorbike: From the city center, you can pass either Long Bien Bridge or Chuong Duong Bridge to get to Bat Trang in about 45-minutes driving.
– By private car/ taxi: It is recommended to go by private car for your safety and the most comfort.