Step into Hanoi’s history with AR technology
From ancient classrooms to ancestral rites, Viet Nam Dieu Su makes history vivid and memorable.
THE HANOI TIMES — Viet Nam Dieu Su (Vietnam’s Marvelous History) has quickly won over visitors after a week of free trials at the Temple of Literature, marking a breakthrough in conserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural heritage through advanced digital technology.
Immersed in the flow of history
Technology applications bring visitors a realistic experience of Vietnamese history. Photo: Huy Pham/ The Hanoi Times
Recently launched by the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities, Viet Nam Dieu Su enriches Hanoi’s tourism offerings and marks a new step in Vietnam’s heritage preservation.
Developed by BSM Labs JSC, the app applies artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) to bring history to life inside the relic.
As Vietnam’s first AR platform to recreate historical events with real actors in 4K, Viet Nam Dieu Su lets visitors capture and interact with vivid scenes through their device cameras. A smart interactive map guides them in real time, while AI-powered guides trained on original documents and heritage records answer questions and explain each site’s cultural significance.
The space of feudal scholars taking an exam in bamboo huts and beds is recaptured at the Temple of Literature.
Within the Experience Zone, three AR points immerse visitors in key moments of Vietnam’s educational history, including the Confucian teacher’s classroom, the intensity of feudal examinations and the triumphant return of successful candidates for ancestral worship. Each point is equipped with iPads and monitors, and visitors may also download the app for free.
Nguyen Hong Duc, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City, called the experience “intuitive and vivid,” comparing it to cinematic time travel.
"The app helps me visualize the ancient examination system and hoped similar tools will appear at more relics to showcase Vietnam’s culture to international audiences," said Duc.
Not only Vietnamese tourists but many foreign visitors also expressed their keen interest in experiencing Viet Nam Dieu Su on-site in the relic space. Some admitted that this was the first time they were able to capture AR photos and videos in a cultural site, feeling the past with rare intuitiveness, vividness, and closeness. As if they had really stepped through the gate of time to explore Vietnamese history.
What surprises many tourists the most is the moment they “transform” into scholars entering the exam grounds. When learning that the feudal candidates had to sit in small, cramped huts and beds for two or three consecutive days, regardless of rain or shine, cold or illness, just to write an exam that would decide their whole life, they experienced strange feelings.
Reyansh, a visitor from India, shared that he was completely fascinated with the app. “I could actually feel what it might have been like to be a scholar in those days. Seeing the AR simulation of the exam huts and writing desks made the history come alive in a way no guidebook ever could,” he said.
A standout moment is when visitors “become” scholars entering the exam grounds. Learning that candidates spent long hours in cramped huts in all weather conditions to complete exams that could determine their future leaves a lasting impression. It highlights Vietnam’s long-standing respect for learning and the resilience of its people.
Enhancing the tourist experience
International visitors expressed a strong interest in experiencing Viet Nam Dieu Su in the setting of the Temple of Literature.
The Temple of Literature preserves Hanoi’s heritage while seeking new ways to engage visitors. BSM Labs developed Viet Nam Dieu Su to enrich the experience without altering the site, using AR to recreate historical scenes. Working closely with Temple staff, BSM produced detailed research and cinematic animations, offering a personalized experience accessible on visitors’ own devices.
Technology helps bring history closer to the public.
“This AR product conveys stories that honor Vietnamese cultural heritage and makes them accessible, especially to younger audiences. In the next phase, we plan to expand technological applications across the relic, day and night,” Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities.
For the relic, Viet Nam Dieu Su preserves authenticity while conveying history vividly and intuitively, aligning with the principles of sustainable heritage conservation. For visitors, history transforms from static text or panels into living experiences, where ancient characters and events come to life right where they stand.
According to Truong Quoc Toan, representative of the Hanoi - Île-de-France Urban Development Cooperation Project, the Temple of Literature and Imperial Academy continues to lead in innovative cultural apps and digitalization.
"For a Special National Relic like the Temple of Literature, promoting its heritage in real space can be challenging, but digital technology has made this possible for visitors in a direct and engaging way,” said Toan.
Viet Nam Dieu Su adds depth to the sightseeing experience.
Vietnam’s rich tradition spans a thousand years of civilization, from the melodic Quan Ho songs and vibrant village festivals to folk paintings and ceremonial dances. Each element carries the nation’s unique cultural spirit. Yet, without modern tools of communication, many of these memories risk fading amidst the noise of contemporary life.
Viet Nam Dieu Su brings history closer to the public, allowing today’s generation to experience the sights, sounds and emotions of Vietnam’s past. By blending technology with heritage, the app makes history a living, breathing part of the tourist journey.
