Every country you will ever travel to will likely have a natural history museum, a science museum and a national history museum that tells the story of the country. Sometimes, you will be astounded by the stories these museums will tell but often, you may catch yourself skipping through the smaller exhibits to see the grandest items on display.
Every now and then though, you will stumble across a museum which will transform your world view. Hanoi’s Vietnamese Women’s Museum is one of these special places. The layout of the museum is fairly modern and there are some lovely items on display, though the collection hardly compares to the Vatican.
Instead of lavish bronze statues, what you will find inside is the incredible stories of the women in Vietnamese culture. You will gain a profound empathy for the elderly women selling fruits on the streets of Hanoi and the collection of heroic women who stepped up during wartime is bound to trigger a tear.
In addition to the stories, there are a selection of videos on each floor and an audio tour is available. The propaganda posters on the second floor are curious, colorful works of art and the collection of costumes and basketware from the 54 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam is fascinating.
Once inside the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, you will undoubtedly want to engage with every item and story on display. You will learn an awful lot about Vietnamese culture and regardless of your gender, the stories of these brave women will remind you of strength inside you that you may have forgotten you had.
