The permanent collection “100% Design” of the Museum of Design, currently in the planning stages, is an essential archive of designs that have shaped both the world and a modern Vietnam. It tells the story of mass production—from the industrial innovations of the 19th century to the digital and fabrication revolutions of recent years. The collection spans all aspects of design, including architecture, fashion, furniture, product, graphic design, mobility, and transportation. Notably, we will establish a major archive dedicated to the art, design, and craft traditions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.

The Museum of Design collects objects and materials that help explain what design is to the public. Beyond preserving exemplary cases of design from the past, the museum also collects artifacts related to the design process—from sketches to prototypes, speculative designs to fully realized production models. The Museum of Design aims to gather what is new, impactful, innovative, or experimental in both design and society.

The “100% Design” collection is being actively developed through the acquisition of objects primarily in service of upcoming exhibitions. The Museum may purchase objects directly from designers, or they may be donated by manufacturers or among the museum’s many supporters. More passively, the Museum also considers enhancing its collection through public contributions of objects or documentation from fans and supporters. If you have an object you wish to donate, please refer to our FAQ link.

As for diversity, the permanent collection will inevitably reflect unconscious biases in how design history has traditionally been told—often through the lens of Europe, the United States, and Japan, and even within Vietnam, through the perspective of the Kinh majority. Nonetheless, the museum is committed to diversifying its collection as part of a broader ambition to tell a more inclusive, wide-reaching, and pluralistic story of design for everyone. To achieve this, the museum has identified significant and potential gaps in its collection and is working with supporters and funders to find key works that will gradually help close these gaps.