VietNamNet Bridge – A 70-year-old man from the UK has a private collection of 2,500 guns, swords and other weapons of many countries in the southern city of Vung Tau.

The  Worldwide Arms Museum, the first private weapon museum in Vietnam, is located at No. 98, Tran Hung Dao St., Vung Tau City of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

The museum is owned by Robert Taylor, a British national whose wife is Vietnamese. The man has lived in the city since 1991.

On display at the museum are over 2,500 items ranging from guns and swords to army uniforms dating back to between the 17th and 20th centuries. They originated from nations around the world including The UK, France, Germany, Russia, Japan and the Netherlands.

It is open to the public from 8:00 am to 18:00 pm daily.

Robert Taylor is a service engineer in mechanical engineering. In1991, he went to Vietnam to work and to establish a company specializing in the construction of anti-corrosion, insulation, sound insulation and personnel training. In 1996 he settled in Vung Tau.

According to Robert, when he was young, he was a passionate collector of weapons, military uniforms of countries around the world. "At 18, I used 80 USD to buy swords 100 years old. Later, while working as an engineer for major corporations in Thailand.  I used most of the money to purchase favorite items," he said.

There area 2,500 exhibits, including guns, swords, crossbows, military costumes ... In it, there are about 1,500 artifacts as pistols, rifles are aged 200-300 years of the Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands ...

Robert began implementing procedures to bring weapons to Vietnam in 1996. It took him four years to fulfill the procedures. Upon getting a licence from the local government to open an arm museum, he sold his assets in the UK to establish the museum in Vung Tau. In 2012, he divorced his Vietnamese wife. Due to property disputes with his wife, the museum was closed.

In 2015, the provincial government lent Robert the ancient building at 98 Tran Hung Dao to reopen the museum.

In addition to the ancient weapon, Robert also owns many guns used by the army of many countries during wars in the 20th century.

"I hope the collection will bring pleasure to visitors, create focal points for Vung Tau and Vietnam tourism. The museum will be a place where people can know more about the history, culture and the development of the world," Robert said.

In 2010, Robert completed a training course on community and heritage at the HCM City Culture University. In 2011, the Vietnam Records Book Center recognized the museum as the largest private arms museum in Vietnam.

 

Robert in the museum. An English pistol manufactured in 1790. An American pistol manufactured in 1851.   Some guns were owned by aristocrats and famous generals.       African shotguns and rifles produced from 1820-1850.   The corner for  guns, ammunition, grenades, bayonets ... of the 20th-21st centuries.     Swords of the 19th century.       The uniform of the Holy Army (Crusaders) in Europe in the 14th -15th century.     Gothic steel armor of the Romans in the 15th century. Each armor weighs 50kg.

Photo: Zing

 

Compiled by Thanh Van