Virginia & the Vietnam War

August 25, 2026 - October 5, 2026

Fifty years since the Fall of Saigon—when communist forces invaded the capital of South Vietnam and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City—Virginians still feel the impact of the Vietnam War, a long, costly, and controversial conflict.

This exhibit examines, through personal objects and oral histories, what Virginia’s soldiers, policy makers, families, activists, and Vietnamese migrants carried both physically and emotionally during the war and its aftermath.

Visitors will tap into the hopes and fears of those connected to the war by exploring the personal items they carried and engaging with multiple oral histories.