A large number of people have been eager to visit, admire, and honour these spring publications – journalistic products rich in cultural value – demonstrating the vitality of Vietnamese journalism in preserving tradition and adapting to the digital age.
At the Viet Nam Press Museum (Cau Giay Ward, Ha Noi), the thematic display "From the front page to the page of history - Spring of the nation, the Party guiding the path" has become a springtime meeting point for many generations of journalists, from veteran journalists beloved by readers to students from many universities and colleges in the capital. The display space is full of the colours of spring, featuring spring newspaper covers, propaganda posters welcoming the Party Congresses, and documents illustrating the companionship of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism with the nation's history.
Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi, Permanent Vice President of the Viet Nam Journalists Association, emphasised that each spring newspaper cover is a culmination of journalism, art, culture, and ideology, reflecting the spirit of the times. Looking at these spring newspaper covers, viewers can imagine the journey of Vietnamese journalism development from the difficult war years to the period of reform, integration, and development. Regardless of the context, journalism has always played a role in guiding information, strengthening social trust, and inspiring patriotism.
A significant highlight is the collection of poems and New Year's greetings by President Ho Chi Minh. These simple but profound verses and wishes not only reflect the thoughts, ethics, and style of Uncle Ho but are also a source of spiritual encouragement for many generations of Vietnamese people during the transition time to the new year.
Many visitors lingered for a long time before nearly 100 valuable original artefacts, including manuscripts, articles, various types of cards, and equipment used by many renowned journalists, including those from Nhan Dan Newspaper such as Hoang Tung, Tran Bach Dang, Bui A, etc.
Student Nguyen Thu Ha (Academy of Journalism and Communication) shared: “For young people like us who are studying journalism, this is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of history, culture, and the profession, thus, to better recognise our responsibility to continue the values that our predecessors have built.”
Besides the content, the changes in journalistic visual language are also clearly shown in the covers of the spring newspapers. From simple, handcrafted artwork to modern graphic design supported by artificial intelligence (AI), the spring newspapers show the flexible adaptability of Vietnamese journalism to technological changes. Newspaper pages, though yellowed with age, retain their content value, while new publications continue to expand their reach to younger readers. Notably, the Viet Nam Press Museum utilises many modern display methods such as 3D museums and interactive screens to "awaken" historical documents, creating a vivid and creative visual, lively experience, in line with the trend of digital transformation.
Meanwhile, at the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street (Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), the exhibition "Spring newspapers advancing into the digital age" is being held for the first time, honouring spring publications and the adaptation of Vietnamese journalism in the new era.
The exhibition includes activities such as displaying a selection of spring newspaper covers in the past and at present; a reading shelf for the spring publication of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026; and a discussion on the theme "Spring newspapers advancing into the digital age". The exhibition showcases over 50 spring newspaper covers from Nam Phong in 1918 to the latest publications in 2026. Accordingly, Nam Phong, spring magazine of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 1918, is considered the first spring newspaper in Viet Nam, marking the "origin" of the spring publication series featuring poetry, prose, couplets, and novels by famous authors of that time.
On this occasion, the public can explore and enjoy more than 20 spring publications of Lunar New Year of the Horse such as Nhan Dan, Tien Phong, The Thao va Van Hoa, Sai Gon Giai Phong, Tuoi Tre, Thanh Nien, Nguoi Lao Dong... The free reading space helps bring spring newspapers closer to readers and tourists.
According to journalist Trung Nghia, Ambassador of Reading Culture of Ho Chi Minh City in the 2023–2024 period, the exhibition recorded a large number of visitors and interactions, demonstrating the enduring appeal of spring newspapers. In modern life, spring newspapers are not only for reading but also for viewing, storing, and collecting as a way to preserve memories and spread reading culture.
In the context of digital transformation, many spring publications are simultaneously digitised, allowing readers to access them anytime, anywhere, including the overseas Vietnamese community. Along with this, online newspapers maintain a continuous flow of information during Tet, supplementing the role of traditional printed spring publications.
Every Tet season, along with the blossoming peach and apricot flowers and the atmosphere of family reunion, spring newspapers are present as an indispensable "spiritual gift" in the lives of Vietnamese people. Although information consumption habits change, for many readers and families, reading and viewing spring newspapers remains a beautiful ritual at the beginning of the year, associated with positive emotions and reflections on the journey ahead.
The exhibitions, with their different approach methods, share a common spirit: affirming that the spring newspaper is not only a seasonal publication, but also a cultural stream reflecting the times, continuously extended through each spring.
