Right in Hanoi’s centre, tourists can see and touch the simple life of the Vietnamese countryside several centuries ago by visiting the Museum of Farming Tools and Daily Life of Northern Farmers.

Right in the heart of Hanoi, tourists can see and touch the simple life of the Vietnamese countryside several centuries ago by visiting the Museum of Farming Tools and Daily Life of Northern Farmers.

Tran Phu Son and a rice-grinding mill displayed at the museum.

The museum, covering 100 sq. m. on Van Ho street, was founded in 2004 by a retired publishing house employee, Tran Phu Son, who has spent more than 20 years collecting over 200 objects to display at the museum.

Flour mills, earthenware and copper basins dating back hundreds of years and rice-grinding mills from the 19th century are among the objects on display which are no longer in use today.

A bamboo bucket to water crop fields or a palm coat used to protect farmers against three different severe weather conditions: heat, cold and rain, provide a glimpse into life in the countryside many years ago.

The museum owner said he rummaged everywhere in the northern countryside to collect these objects essential for rural life in the past, to help young generations understand their ancestors better.

“All the exhibits are evidence of my devotion to keeping the past alive for the future. Anyone interested in studying the life of northern farmers will be welcome here,” said Son, who devoted over 40 years to the publishing industry.

Besides the museum on northern rural life, which is among the first three private museums in Vietnam, Son plans to establish another museum in Ho Chi Minh City , dealing with pottery from all parts of the country.

Source: VNA