Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Museums and other cultural spaces in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City will open for free from September 1 to 3 in celebration of National Day (September 2) and other holidays.

Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said the policy is to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day.

Party, State and Government leaders have directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MoCST) to organise major activities in honour of the nation's glorious historical tradition over the past 80 years, and to motivate and inspire people to enter a new and strong era of civilised and prosperous development.

Major museums under the MoCST, along with the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village and Vietnam Contemporary Art Theatre will open their doors to the public at no cost.

According to the minister, the move is meant to educate people about the country's achievements while promoting the image of Vietnamese culture and its country and people to friends around the world.

Following his direction, many museums in the capital city will hold exhibitions introducing the history, culture and people of Vietnam.

At the Ho Chi Minh Museum, an exhibition covering 80 years of the People's Public Security remembering President Ho Chi Minh's teachings will open on August 15. Meanwhile, another exhibition entitled Mua Thu Doc Lap (Autumn of Independence) to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day will start on August 26. A show of large oil paintings titled Mua Xuan Doc Lap (Independence Spring of Independence) will begin on September 2.

The Vietnam National Museum of History will host an exhibition called Binh Dan Hoc Vu -- Thap Sang Tuong Lai (Mass Education Movement -- Lighting up the Future) on August 22.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi will have several exhibitions. Nhung Nguoi Con Cua To Quoc (Children of the Nation) is set to open on August 15, while an exhibition on applied arts will begin on August 22.

In HCM City, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum will display images and documents under the theme of Ho Chi Minh - Portrait of a Man.

The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism will host a range of activities to introduce traditional cultures of ethnic communities through a highland market space and music and dance performances.

Up to 50,000 visitors are expected to come to the village during the three days of free entry.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang, Director of the Vietnam Contemporary Art Theatre, said: "The theatre will bring performances of colourful puppets moving nimbly on the water to serve the public, especially children."

Other shows will include traditional arts and music programmes, Trang added. /.