Hazel Day G.
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Lots to learn here. There are two buildings of historical displays for you to enjoy, and they are very detailed. You have the option to get a tour guide or an audio guide, but we didn't get either. Just walking around and reading displays took us about two hours.
The first building is dedicated to prehistoric artifacts like skulls, pottery, jewelry, carvings, dioramas, and the like. We learned a lot here about how even the first people in Vietnam resisted invasion by the Chinese (as they did later on in their more modern history), and how there used to be monarchial rule in the country.
The second building is home to perhaps some of the more famous Vietnamese history, where they struggled for independence against French colonial rule, and of course the Vietnamese-American war. They have interesting artifacts like notebooks from Ho Chi Minh himself, early flags from the founders of the Vietnamese Communist Party, and even the tail of a bomb that was dropped on one of the provinces. They have very well-curated displays and extensive archives, so you'll really have a lot to read and take in.
Since we visited during independence day weekend, we were also lucky to find the Binh Dan Hoc Vu exhibit, which was about education. I am not sure how long this exhibit runs, but it shared a lot about the government's effort to educate people post-war.
My only comment is that I wish the building itself was more... fixed? The exhibits are great but the building is a little worn down, and I think it's in the best interest of the guests and the displays themselves if there were to be a safer museum environment. Still, the museum staff are very attentive and did a great job of attending to any questions we had.
Minor note is that they do have a lunch break at 12nn. So even if you're in the museum during the said lunch break, you will be asked to go out and come back at 1pm. This was fine and customary I think in many establishments in Hanoi.