Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre

One of my favorite things I did in Luang Prabang! Entrance is 35k kip ($1.60) and was well worth it. The museum is small, but packed with well-translated and interesting information. I also visited the national palace and museum, but felt like I learned way more about the Laos people and their culture here. They have a fascinating exhibit on cultural appropriation by big fashion brands that really opened my eyes to how much important cultural artwork and heritage is copied and not credited. The shop has lots of beautiful handwoven goods that support rural women. Highly recommend taking an hour or so to visit!

Incredible exhibits on the various ethnic groups in Laos. Very well written information along with interesting examples of traditional dress and instruments, along with various weaving tools. A really cool exhibit was about the effort for communities to be able to give consent and receive credit and compensation when their traditional patterns were used by multinational companies. The staff were also very knowledgeable and helpful. Overall the museum was modern, engaging, and informative. Would highly recommend.

This is a must visit for anybody that’s in the area, especially for Europeans. They need to be educated on how European companies continue to steal from poor women of this region. When I visited, they had an exhibition on how Italian brands stole designs from Oma and Hmong people, made millions, and did not even acknowledge it. The rich history of colorful and vibrant textiles from Lao is both fascinating and worthwhile educating oneself about. Entrance is 35k kip which is worth it (<$2). There’s also a small café where you can order beverages and sit down for a bit in the café. There are several coloring stations for kids can color.

Super insightful museum - small but extremely well laid out with lots to learn about Loatian culture & the skills & craft of different ethnic groups. There’s also a space to enjoy a coffee whilst watching short films, we loved the one about the medicine woman & the tradition after giving birth in Laos. We also thought the display which helped in identifying authentically made goods vs mass produced goods was excellent & we learned so much about feeling the materials & checking for stitching. The staff here were lovely too - highly recommended to anyone visiting Luang Prabang that wants to understand more about Laos’ diverse mix of people.

The best surprise and the best museum so far. Although a small cultural center and museum, it’s very informative. The exhibition content is very well written and well translated into English too. Recommend spending some time watching the video about the Maxmara case- very inspiring and educative to learn about the cultural IP issue.

Interesting place located in post colonial building. Provides essential information about different ethnic groups living in Laos. Interesting exhibition of traditional clothing. Entrance ticket costs 35k LAK. You need to leave your bag/backpack before entering (for free)

It's a small museum but you can still learn some things about the ethnic peoples of Laos. There is a tour on Friday at 3pm, but you still have to pay entry. Honestly you can learn everything from the plaques on the walls, the tour isn't necessary. Would love to see the centre move to a bigger location, was underwelming for me to be honest. I did learn some things though so I appreciate that.

This is a really interesting Arts Centre and well worth a visit for the informative and well laid out exhibition of Laos traditional clothing. The Centre has an excellent shop where you can purchase at good prices, traditionally made crafts. One point of notice, the road leading to the centre is steep and unpaved so care should be taken when on foot.