A museum dedicated to showcasing only “ao dai” (traditional Vietnamese long gown) through various periods and their making process has been open in Ho Chi Minh City’s district 9.

Located at 206/19/30 Long Thuan, Long Phuoc ward, the Ao dai Museum is the dream cherished for 12 years by celebrated “ao dai” designer-artist Si Hoang.

Part of Hoang’s 20,000m2 Long Thuan garden house, which boasts rustic southern landscape and age-old wood architecture, the museum showcases more than 60 “ao dai” owned by the Nguyen (1802-1945) kings and royal families, female military leaders, diplomats, artists and actresses. Stories about these “ao dai” and their owners are also featured.

A collection of “ao dai” spanning from its earliest days to the modern time as well as its ups and downs is also highlighted. There were times when the costume was considered a luxury item and could be done without in daily life.

The museum will also offer exhibition of works in music, literature, cinema and art, which are inspired by the traditional costume.

Re-creation of the entirely manual making process and embroidering of the “haute couture” (high fashion) “ao dai” will also be a highlight.

“My passion for “ao dai” budded by chance in 1989. Since then, I have tried to showcase the attire in over 20 countries. I’ve also visited several museums around the world, among which the kimono museum in Japan impressed me the most. The visit there cemented my resolve on building my “ao dai” museum,” shared designer Si Hoang, who is also a fruitful businessman and art lecturer.

Hoang said he’s very willing to receive archival documents on “ao dai” and average or memento “ao dai” from the public and add them to his current collections.

Hoang’s museum, the 12th in the city and the second private one, is open to public from 8am to 5pm every day. It’s only closed on the first of the Lunar New Year, Jan 31.

Tickets cost VND100,000 (US$5). Admission is available to students at only VND30,000 and is free for kids under 6 years old and those above 70.