Many Vietnamese and foreign visitors must be familiar to unique Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Nguyen Van Hue street, Hanoi. However, there is another museum of in the centre of Thai Nguyen city that not everyone ever heard about it. That is Museum of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture. This place is not only the space for scientists but also a favorite attraction for tourists at all ages.
The museum was built in 1960 by Ministry of Culture and Information under the name of Viet Bac Museum. The outdoor exhibition covers a total area of over 39,000 m2 of which 3,000 m2 is used for exhibition and artifacts preservation with aim of introducing traditional cultural heritages of ethnic group throughout the country. The museum consists of 5 adjacent sections, the outdoor exhibition area and thousands of original objects, subsidiary scientific documents. After a sightseeing of Museum of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture, the tourists will have an overview on culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups from Ha Giang, nation’s northern border area to cape Ca Mau. The museum preserves more than 20,000 units of original materials and precious cultural heritage of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups.
The showroom 1: reflect cultural identities of Viet-Muong language group which comprises 4 ethnic groups: Kinh, Muong, Tho and Chut with 9 exhibition sections that presenting manufacturing tools, houses, costumes, handicraft, spiritual heritage…
The showroom 2: display spiritual and material cultural heritages of Tay-Thai language group including: Tay, thai, Nung, San Chay, Giay, Lao, Lu, Bo Y.
The showroom 3: display spiritual and material cultural heritages of H’Mong-Dao language group: Kadai, Tang-Mien, La Ha, Lo Lo, Phu La, La Hu, Ha Nhi, Cong, Si La. Of which the prominence is residential geography, environmental landscape, housing, cuisine, highland fair.
The showroom 4: display cultural identities of Mon-Kho Me language group including 21 ethnic groups : Kho Mu, Mang, Xinh Mun, Khang, Odu, Bru-Van Kieu, Ta Oi, Co Tu, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Co Ho, Hre, M’nong, Gie-Trieng, Stieng, Ma, Co, Cho Ro, Ro Mam, Brau and Khomer in southern region.
The showroom 5:
Part 1: present cultural heritages of Chinese group of Hoa, San Diu, Ngai.
Part 2: present cultural heritages of Malayo-Plynesian language group comprising Chan, Gia Rai, Ede, RagLai, Cho Ru.
Coming to Museum of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture, the tourists also have opportunity to visit a large outdoor exhibition area with diverse and unique artifacts and documents. Through lively images and objects, the inspiring and attractive explanation of tour guide, the tourists will be excited with helpful information about the origins and traditional cultural identities of every ethnic group in Vietnam.