With 63 provinces and 54 ethnic groups, Vietnam is a blend of unique and regional cultures, and in Hanoi – the heart of the S-shaped land, there are many places for you to discover the rich cultural identities following thousands of years of Vietnamese history. One of those places is the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi: An Overview
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi is an attraction that exhibits cultural values, residential buildings, traditional customs, and etiquette of Vietnam ethnicity. The three main galleries inside the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi – each with a different theme, represent the lives of Vietnamese people throughout the country and through every generation.
The first one, Trong Dong, is the display area of Vietnam ethnic groups’ artifacts. In the space of up to 2000 square meters, the diversity of cultures and lifestyles of Vietnamese people are shown vividly, with artifacts arranged in order of language family, ethnicity, and geography. These objects are carefully selected, and each one includes the explanations in three languages: English, Vietnamese, and French so that visitors can easily approach and understand.
Hundreds-year-old antiques
A depiction of a conical hat handicraft village
Ritual dolls for singers of hat boi – a type of traditional Vietnamese performance art
A funeral ceremony of the Muong people
The pillars of the Ê-đê people contain many of the people’s beliefs and cultural values
A spiritual ceremony of the Tay ethnicity
Ancient Vietnamese writings
Incredibly intricate wood engraving details
The wooden tomb statues
Tomb statues are magnificent features of Vietnamese ethnic minorities’ cultural beliefs and arts
The second one is the Architectural Garden with Vietnam’s unique architecture represented by the traditional houses of many ethnic groups: the Cham House, the Kinh House, the Giarai Tomb House, etc. Each house is built with absolutely accurate architecture and equipped with household objects to resemble the homes built by locals.
Accurate construction of traditional houses of different ethnicity
“Nha Rong” plays a vital role in many Vietnamese ethnicity groups
The stairs in Ê-đê houses represent matriarchy
Charming nature in the Architectural garden
Each ethnicity has different ideas about life after death, hence the distinctive tomb’s designs
The third one, which was built in 2013, is the Southeast Asia Exhibition Area representing the museum’s vision of connecting Vietnam with the Southeast Asian region. The collection of artifacts here are incredibly unique and rare, which wisely helps visitors enjoy the rich cultural beauty of the countries in the Southeast Asia region.
Here, you can find many interesting things about Southeast Asia countries’ cultures
A collection of national costumes from Southeast Asian countries
Hats bear significant importance to some countries in Southeast Asia
Jewelry and masks of some ancient tribes
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi: What to do
With the museum’s large acreage as well as a systematic organization, visitors to the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi will have the opportunity to experience more diverse forms of culture. Do expect to spend at least three hours to cover all three exhibits and completely immerse in this unprecedented experience.
In addition to the above display areas, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi also regularly organizes thematic exhibitions, crafts performances as well as different types of cultural arts such as Mua roi nuoc (water puppet show), Dan ca Quan ho Bac Ninh (Quan ho Bac Ninh folk songs),…
Experience amazing Vietnamese culture
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi: How to get there
The Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi is located at 1 Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay District. If using personal vehicles, you can go from Hoang Quoc Viet Street or Nguyen Khanh Toan Street. If you take a bus, you can get here by bus number 07, 12 or 38.
Read more about Can Tourists Drive in Vietnam?
Opening hours: AM 8:30 – PM 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday
Ticket prices:
+ Adults: VND 40,000
+ College students: VND 15,000
+ Students: 15,000
+ Children, the disabled: Free
Summary on Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi
In Hanoi, many tourist attractions attract hundreds of foreign tourists every day with unique and different charms. However, if you desire to experience a whole new aspect of Vietnam, the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi is definitely what you’ve been searching for.
Get your travel insurance plan to explore more of Hanoi: