Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

LikeChina,Vietnamis a multi-ethnic country. There are totally 54 ethnic groups scatter in the northern, central and southernVietnam. With a view to preserve and present the cultural heritages of these ethnic groups, the Vietnamese government decided to establish a museum of ethnology in the capital city. After about ten years of construction the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology inaugurated its permanent exhibition and officially opened to the public in November, 1997. Since its inauguration the Museum receives about 60,000 visitors annually, attracts people all over the world with different ages and backgrounds to visit this most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting museum in Hanoi and Vietnam.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is divided into two parts: an indoor and an outdoor exhibition. The indoor part is composed of the 9-section formed permanent collection and a separate area for temporary exhibits. Artefacts, not only priceless antiquities but also everyday objects reflecting simple life and cultural diversity of each group, and other valuable collections are exhibited indoors. Outdoor exhibition area is to present full-scale examples of ethnic house-building techniques and designs. Between the houses, there are trees indigenous to the area of each house, zigzagging paths and a meandering stream crossed by small bridges. The outdoor part is maturing gradually to provide visitors not only cultural values but also natural landscapes.

The Museum is located around 8 kilometers from the city centre; visitors can take No.14 minibus fromHoanKiemLaketo get there. It is really a great choice for those who cannot find time to visit all remote areas where live the majority ofVietnamethnic minorities.