Built between 1925 and 1932, this architecturally impressive museum was formerly home to the École Française d’Extrême-Orient. Its architect, Ernest Hebrard, was among the first in Vietnam to incorporate a blend of Chinese and French design elements. Exhibit highlights include bronzes from the Dong Son culture (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), Hindu statuary from the Khmer and Champa kingdoms, jewellery from imperial Vietnam, and displays relating to the French occupation and the Communist Party. The audio guide is free.
The former Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution across the road at 216 Ð Tran Quang Khai is now part of the National Museum of Vietnamese History. The 40,000 exhibits enthusiastically present the histories of conflict and revolution within Vietnam, from the liberation movements against the French occupation to the establishment of the Communist Party and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
