Alexandre Yersin Museum Nha Trang: A cultural relic about a great man

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Nha Trang is an alluring coastal city in Central Vietnam with so many beautiful beaches, islands, and mountains. Here, Alexandre Yersin Museum is a rare historical site that offers visitors a close look at the life of Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), a Swiss-French physician and bacteriologist. The museum will help you learn more about him, his contributions to Vietnam, as well as a part of the country’s history during the colonial period.

1. Where is Alexandre Yersin Museum Nha Trang?

Alexandre Yersin Museum was established in 1997 in No. 10, Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang, to preserve all the belongings that Dr. Yersin used when he was alive. The museum has been recognised as a Cultural and Historical Relic Site by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Alexandre Yersin Museum is a highlight on Nha Trang tourism map (Source: Collected)

Alexandre Émile Jean Yersin was born on September 22, 1863 in Aubonne, Switzerland. In 1883, Yersin went to Lausanne to learn Medicine, then to Marburg, Germany to study further. In his young age, Yersin admired David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary and explorer. 

Yersin was known as a famed physician, biologist, and explorer. He was believed to have discovered Lam Vien Highland. He founded Indochine Medical School (now Hanoi Medical University) and became its first President. He was also a founder of Pasteur Institute Nha Trang.

Yersin lived in a wooden house in Con Fishing Village in Nha Trang, where he would treat poor people for free. He is the co-discoverer of the bacteria responsible for the bubonic plague. On March 1st, 1943, he passed away here. His tomb has been preserved in Suoi Dau, some 20 kilometres to the south of Nha Trang city centre. A statue of him is installed by Nha Trang Beach.

Dr. Yersin has been commemorated by the locals in Nha Trang as an influential scientist (Source: Collected)

2. The opening hours and ticket fee of Alexandre Yersin Museum 

• Opening hours: 
  • Monday – Saturday, 7:30 am – 11:30 am and 2 pm – 5 pm
  • Close on Saturday afternoon and Sunday

• Ticket fee

• • Adult: VND 20,000 (US$0.8)
  • Student: VND 10,000
  • Children under 1.2 metres tall: free

Alexandre Yersin Museum is one of the best museums in Vietnam (Source: Collected)

3. What can you see in Alexandre Yersin Museum Vietnam?

Alexandre Yersin Museum is situated on the second floor of a building next to Pasteur Institute Nha Trang, which has a total area of around 100 square metres. In the middle of the museum, there is a room designed to resemble the place where Yersin lived in Con Fishing Village, which is surrounded by pathways. The pathways represent important time periods and moments of the great scientist: childhood, school age, his explorations, his research on the bubonic plague, his settlement in Nha Trang, etc.

Alexandre Yersin Museum is not only a place to showcase Yersin’s old belongings but also where you can learn about his life and career.

Alexandre Yersin Museum is an impressive Nha Trang museum (Source: Collected)

3.1. A large number valuable artifacts

There are some 1,200 books and over 50 tools that Yersin used in medicine, astronomy, and geography. His close belongings,such as an ancient Leroy watch, newspapers, a camera, a computer, have all been well preserved.

At Alexandre Yersin Museum, you can see 500 paper and glass pictures of the ethnic groups in Vietnam. A 3D photo slide and a short documentary on the life of the scientist are available at the site, too.

The life of Dr. Yersin is shown through his furniture and belongings (Source: Collected)

3.2. The model of the house of Alexandre Yersin

Besides antiques, at Alexandre Yersin Museum, you can see a replica of his room in Con Fishing Village. The house seems to be nothing special, with common furniture like rattan arm chair, bed, bookshelf, and wardrobe. But an interesting fact is that the house was where he saved the lives of thousands of locals. He offered free check-ups and treatments at his very simple room.

You can also go further to the peak of Hon Ba to discover another house of Dr. Yersin. There used to remain only the foundation of the house until 2004, when the locals rebuilt the house based on its original design.

Many Nha Trang tourist attractions are places dedicated to Dr. Yersin (Source: Collected)

3.3. Many precious photos taken by Alexandre Yersin

Dr. Yersin liked exploration and photography. He left behind hundreds of valuable photos of the landscapes and cultures of Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, and neighbouring provinces. 

Visitors at Alexandre Yersin Museum can buy souvenirs like stamps, keyrings, or postcards printed with pictures of Dr. Yersin at reasonable prices. Besides the displayed photos at the museum, Pasteur Institute Nha Trang still keeps some 150 other photos.

Yersin left behind many historical photos (Source: Collected)

3.4. A golden souvenir book

At the museum, there is also a golden souvenir book on which visitors can write about their feelings after learning about the life of the late scientist. As more and more visitors come to the museum, the book is getting thicker and thicker day by day.

Besides Alexandre Yersin Museum, National Oceanographic Museum is another well-known museum in Nha Trang that you should visit. Considered as the largest research institute of marine life in Southeast Asia, this museum houses about 20,000 specimens of 4,000 sea species.

After visiting these museums, it is recommended that you come to VinWonders Nha Trang to have lots of fun. This amusement park of records has nearly 100 exciting entertainment activities suitable for visitors of all ages. Spread throughout an area of 50 hectares, the park will undoubtedly leave you with many unforgettable memories in its 6 subdivisions:

• Sea World: A marine wonderland showcasing a collection of more than 30,000 sea creatures

• Water World: The first and only freshwater park on the sea in Vietnam with a wide range of pools, rides, water cannons, and twisty slides

• King’s Garden: The first and only open animal reserve in Nha Trang, home to fauna from all over the world, including endangered species

• World Garden: A favourite spot for nature lovers, with trees and flowers that bring peace of mind

• Adventure Land: A place that offers plenty of thrilling games such as roller coasters, swings, bungee jumping, aerial racing, pirate ships, etc. 

• Fairy Land: An epic venue for adventure enthusiasts, where you can fly across the park on a two-seater zipline

Have fun at VinWonders Nha Trang

Book tickets of VinWonders Nha Trang here

Visiting Nha Trang in Central Vietnam, one should not miss out on Alexandre Yersin Museum. Here, you can learn more about Dr. Yersin, a historical figure who had a very modest life and did many good things for the locals and science.

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