National Museum of Vietnamese History What we say: The National
Museum of Vietnamese History is housed in a magnificent example
of Indochinese architecture, which was until 1910 the French
consulate and the residence of the governor general. The
building was also home to the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient
(EFEO), during which time it became a museum to exhibit EFEO
finds. Over time the building deteriorated, and it was not until
the early 1930s, following a seven-year renovation, that what
you can see now was realised. The entrance gives on to an
impressive two-storey rotunda with exhibits all around and in
many galleries to the rear. The contents are as fascinating as
the building. The ground floor traces Vietnam's ancient history,
from the first Neolithic finds through to those of the 15th
century. Some items date back as far as 10,000 BC and feature
more than just the requisite pottery shards and axe heads. The
jewellery, tools and household items archaeologists have
unearthed -- along with human and ani