Vietnam Museum of Ethnology – The most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting Museums in Hanoi and Vietnam.
This museum offers an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups in Vietnam in order to preserve cultural heritage and promote socio-cultural diversity in Vietnam.
The museum is packed full of information detailing traditional Vietnamese ways of life, from religious events to the symbolic rituals of all the Vietnamese ethnic groups, providing a rich tapestry of the culture melting pot existing in Vietnam. The exhibition hall features everyday objects such as clothes, jewellery, funeral ceremonies, etc. representing each group, a research centre, library and auditorium including more than 15,000 artifacts like photographs, audio tapes and so on.
The outdoor display area exhibits a variety of Vietnamese homes as full-scale replicas, with great attention paid to the varying architectural styles set within the authentic and tranquil gardens. In addition, there are also leisure pursuits on display including traditional water puppet theatre and calligraphy. The future aim of the museum is to also showcase the many cultural practices and civilisations across Southeast Asia.
Recently, according to Vietnam Tourism Awards, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is ranked in Top 5 Vietnam leading tourist attractions. All documents displayed in the museum are translated in English and French. Moreover, this museum is really suitable for children, in festivals, it often holds interesting traditional activities for children to learn about Vietnamese history and culture.
