Making It Home
From Vietnam to New Orleans
Elders of the Vietnamese community describe their journey to a new country 50 years ago.
520 Royal Street
Tricentennial Wing
1st Floor
Included with free museum admission
April 30, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, which ended the Vietnam War and precipitated the exodus of millions of people from South Vietnam. In time, thousands would settle in and around New Orleans. They carried few personal possessions but countless stories—of their lives and families in Vietnam, of harrowing escapes and refugee camps, and of hope.
The Historic New Orleans Collection honors their experience with Making It Home: From Vietnam to New Orleans. Built around oral history narratives, photographic portraits, and family and community heirlooms, Making It Home traces a multigenerational arc of resilience. Particular attention is paid to the bond of Catholicism shared by New Orleans and its Vietnamese population. The exhibition features a recently acquired collection of photographs and ephemera by Mark J. Sindler documenting the first decade of resettlement, as well as loans from members of the Vietnamese community, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum, the Library of Congress, Naval History and Heritage Command, Tulane University, the University of New Orleans, and the US National Archives and Records Administration.
Awards
Making It Home received two Gold Technology Awards and one Silver Technology Award from the 2025 Southeastern Museums Conference.
Support
This exhibition is made possible with generous support from our sponsors.
Related Events
“Making It Home” Community Day
“Making It Home” Guided Tour
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Related News
WWL-TV: New Exhibit Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon
NOLA.com: 50 Years after Fall of Saigon, Taking a Look at Settlement of Vietnamese in New Orleans
WGNO: VietNOLA 50 Commemorates Arrival of Vietnamese Community in New Orleans
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An oral history project that documents New Orleans’s Vietnamese American community, which continues to profoundly influence the city and its culture.
‘We Survived’: A Secret Escape From Vietnam
Coproduced with New Orleans Public Radio, WWNO 89.9 FM, listen to HNOC's New Orleans Life Story project interview with Kiem Do, former Deputy Chief of Staff for the Republic of Vietnam Navy, who led a massive—and secret—evacuation effort to bring members of the navy and their families to safety.
Shop the Making It Home Collection
Browse our curated selection of products inspired by the exhibition, now available at the Shop at the Collection.
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