Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Hoam Kiem Lake
National Museum of Vietnamese History
MUSEUM
(
www.nmvnh.org.vn
; 1 P Trang Tien; adult/student 20,000/10,000d; 8am-noon & 1.30-5pm, closed first
Mon of the month)
The wonderful architecture of the history museum was formerly home to
the École Française d'Extrême-Orient in Vietnam. It is an elegant, ochre-coloured struc-
ture built between 1925 and 1932. French architect Ernest Hébrard was among the first in
Vietnam to incorporate a blend of Chinese and French design elements. Highlights include
bronzes from the Dong Son culture (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD), Hindu statuary
from the Khmer and Champa kingdoms, and beautiful jewellery from imperial Vietnam.
More recent history includes the struggle against the French and the story of the Com-
munist Party. The breezy garden cafe is a lovely spot for a drink.
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