Vietnam History Museum and Myths of the Past
Overview:
The National Museum of Vietnamese History stores artifacts, which express the long – lasting history and culture of Vietnamese dating back prehistory to the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as well as cover eastern arts.
The Museum is built with Indochina architecture including five major sections. Some outstanding artifacts such as Dong Son drums, Bat Trang Ceramic, Shiva statue, wooden stakes in the Battle of Bach Dang….
Siva God - a Deified God in Champa's Culture
Wooden Stakes in the Bach Dang Battle in 1288
Location:
Vietnam History Museum is situated at 1 Trang Tien, 216 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
History:
The museum was established on the 3rd September 1958 with the precursor of Louis Finot Museum built by French in 1926 and operated in 1932. It also was the archaeological research institution of the French School of the Far East under the domination of French colony.
The Archaeological Research Institution of the French School of the Far East - The National Museum of Vietnamese History Nowadays
At that time, ancient artifacts of Southeast Asian countries were collected and displayed here. It was not until 1958 that the museum officially belonged to the new revolutionary government of Vietnam. Several highlighted exhibits at the museum belong to Vietnam's prehistory dating back to 300,000–400,000 years ago up to 1945.
Feature:
The museum was designed in 1925 by French architecture, C.Batteur and E.Hébrard and then built in 1926 and finished in 1932 at the back of Hanoi Opera House.The design is a cupola shaped edifice in the form of a pagoda with the harmonious beauty of French, Vietnamese, and Chinese architecture and called Indochina architecture.
The museum is designed with the exhibition area of more than 2.200 square meters and divided into five major sections. Each artifact is arranged in chronological order.
• Section 1: Display artifacts in the period of the prehistory (30.000 – 40.000 years ago) to the Stone Age (4.000 – 5.000 years ago).
Collection of Pottery Tools and Jewelry Collection of Stone Tools
Source: Ba Xa, Mai Pha, Lang Son Source: Quang Binh - Hai Phong
• Section 2: Display artifacts in the period of Tran Dynasty
The Bell of Van Ban Pagoda in Tran Dynasty
• Section 3: Exhibits in the period of Ho Dynasty to the August 1945 Revolution.
The National Flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam The Picture "Don Thuoc Dia" in French Colonial Period
Or Red Flag with a Gold Star
• Section 4: Artifacts belong to the Champa stone sculptures.
The Statue of Garuda God Bird and Naga God Snakes
The Statue of Female Dance
• Here there is a collection of about 200.000 items belonging to Vietnam history, covering different ages such as Neolothic Age, Bronze Age, Sa Huynh, Oc Eo, and Hung periods, Ngyyen dynasty, Cham period, and Dong Son culture in the northern Vietnam dating back to 1000BC to 100 AD. All of them are displayed in the main building.
Ngoc Lu Bronze Drum - Đong Son Culture
Bronze Hair Pin - Dong Son Culture
Artifacts belong to the Sa Huynh Culture
• The museum also displays objects belonging to communism and French colonialism during the war in Vietnam.
