Hanoi radiant light and heritage brings a thousand years of culture to life

THE HANOI TIMES — The exhibition “Hanoi Radiant – Light and Heritage” invites visitors into a three-dimensional cultural space where smart-glass technology brings the capital’s layered past and living present vividly to life.

Opened on December 26 at the Exhibition House, 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem Ward, the digital exhibition space quickly drew large crowds of domestic and international tourists, underscoring the growing appeal of technology-driven cultural experiences.

Technology helps heritage flourish

“Hanoi Radiant - Light and Heritage” is an initiative of the Hanoi Department of Tourism developed in collaboration with Vietsoftpro Group and Hanoi L’Heritage Company to rethink how Thang Long-Hanoi’s cultural heritage is presented in the digital age.

“The story of Hanoi’s culture and history is ‘told’ through modern technological forms such as 3D Mapping Immersive, LED Kinetic, Interactive Wall, VR virtual reality, multi-layer projection and motion sensor technology to help the public access Hanoi’s heritage in a newer, different and more impressive way, conveying the message that Hanoi is a city of culture and creativity,” General Director of Vietsoftpro Dang Phan Diep shared with The Hanoi Times.

At the exhibition, technology serves as a storytelling tool to enhance emotion and narrative, allowing heritage to be experienced visually and intuitively. Light, in particular, plays a central artistic role to guide visitors through the space, shaping moods and creating a seamless experiential flow.

This balance between modern innovation and cultural depth points to a new way of preserving and sharing heritage, keeping Hanoi’s identity alive within the flow of contemporary, digitally connected life.

Bringing Hanoi’s heritage closer to young people and tourists

At its heart, the exhibition brings together the elements that shape Hanoi’s identity, its thousand years of history and a distinctive urban landscape that is rich in folk heritage and its ambition to grow as a dynamic and creative capital in the digital age.

Through multisensory experiences, heritage becomes more accessible and emotionally engaging, particularly for younger audiences and international visitors.

The journey opens with the LED kinetic installation Radiant Heart, where shifting blocks of light pulse like a heartbeat, capturing the vitality and continuity of a city forged over centuries.

Visitors then step into the immersive mapping space A Thousand Years of Thang Long. Here, projections on traditional silk revive iconic imagery such as bronze drums, Lac birds, lotus flowers, the Red River and Ly-Tran dynasty dragons, creating a refined dialogue between heritage materials and contemporary performance technology.

The next one is the Creative City - Hanoi 2050 zone that encourages visitors to imagine a smart, green and sustainable capital. The interactive experience delivers a central message that people remain at the core of innovation and digital transformation.

A 360-degree virtual reality installation extends the journey by guiding viewers through digital recreations of Hanoi’s heritage sites and urban spaces for a fully immersive perspective. The experience then shifts into quieter zones where past and present meet.

At the Window of Time, visitors trace the transformation of Hanoi’s landmarks across generations, supported by interactive displays that present clear and engaging information on each destination.

The journey returns gently to the physical world through spaces devoted to calligraphy, Hang Trong folk paintings on traditional paper and green tea, offering moments of calm that evoke the spirit of old Hanoi through sensory experience.

For Mosen Rezaepour, Commercial Counselor of the Iranian Embassy in Hanoi, the exhibition offered both discovery and enjoyment. “It was fascinating to learn that Hanoi’s former name was Thang Long, meaning ‘ascending dragon.’ The lighting and technology make it easier and more engaging for foreign visitors to connect with the city’s thousand-year-old culture.”

He added that the exhibition also introduced him to Vietnam’s intangible cultural heritage, including calligraphy and traditional woodblock printing recreated on site.

Meanwhile, Mong Quyen, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City, described the exhibition as a condensed portrait of the capital. “Thanks to technology, I could feel the poetic beauty and precious history of each historical site in Hanoi, such as Ngoc Son Temple, Turtle Tower and Temple of Literature.”

The “Hanoi Radiant - Light and Heritage” is expected to create a cultural and artistic highlight in the heart of the capital, reinforcing its image as a city that is both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly creative.

The exhibition is open free of charge to the public in celebration of the New Year 2026.