Considering how much the Vietnamese community has done for Melbourne, it's about time we formally acknowledged their role in shaping our multicultural city. Which is why it's great news to hear that our city is set to gain a landmark cultural institution: Australia's first-ever Vietnamese Museum.
Slated for completion in the coming years, the museum will honour the rich history, contributions and resilience of Vietnamese Australians while providing a space for education, reflection and celebration. With over 120,000 Vietnamese Australians living in Victoria, the museum will be a long-awaited tribute to their influence and legacy.
Located in Sunshine, just a three-minute walk from Sunshine Railway Station, the museum will serve as a hub of Vietnamese culture, reinforcing Melbourne's western suburbs' reputation as a centre for Vietnamese heritage in Victoria.
The three-storey building will house a range of exhibitions and interactive displays, with over 280 artefacts tracing the stories of migration, refugee journeys, and cultural traditions. The museum will also feature a community resource centre, a function space for up to 450 guests, and an on-site café.
“As a refugee to Australia myself," said Brimbank City Council mayor Thuy Dang, "I am thrilled that stories and histories like mine will be collected, preserved and on display at Victoria’s newest multicultural museum."
Now that the permit has been approved, the museum team will work closely with the community, council and government to bring the project to life. As part of the Multicultural Museums Victoria Network, the Vietnamese Museum will join the ranks of Melbourne's Hellenic Museum, Museum of Chinese Australian History, Jewish Museum, Islamic Museum, and Museo Italiano, further cementing the city's reputation as a multicultural hub.
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