Depicting the history of the nation's origins.

Located within the Hung Kings Temple Historical Site, the Hung Kings Museum is considered a "history book in artifacts," authentically portraying the history of the birthplace of the Vietnamese nation. It attracts numerous visitors from all over to explore and discover the unique historical and cultural values ​​of the ancestral land.

The Hung Vuong Museum is designed according to the concept of the ancient Vietnamese ancestors: the sky is round and the earth is square.

The Hung Vuong Museum is a new cultural building, construction of which began in 1986 on Cong Quan Hill, within the Hung Vuong Temple Historical Site, and was inaugurated during the Hung Vuong Temple Festival in 1993 (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month of the Year of the Rooster). Its square architecture symbolizes a giant square banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cake). In the center of the first floor is a circular structure displaying a large bronze drum, modeled after the Heger type I bronze drum, symbolizing heaven and earth, the universe according to the ancient Vietnamese belief: Heaven is round, Earth is square.

Currently, the Hung Vuong Museum houses and preserves nearly 5,000 documents and artifacts. These include over 4,000 collected artifacts, 162 photographs, 4 ceramic paintings, 9 bronze reliefs, and many other artifacts from the Hung Vuong era unearthed at archaeological sites in Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc provinces. These are material cultural relics and scientific evidence demonstrating the development of ancient Vietnamese people from prehistoric times to the Hung Vuong era.

The second floor of the Hung Vuong Museum is the main exhibition area showcasing and exploring the formation and development of the Van Lang state and the rice-farming agricultural civilization of the Hung Kings. Through original artifacts and supporting scientific documents displayed in five rooms according to themes: The country and people in the prehistoric era; The beginning of nation-building; The nation-building achievements of the Hung Kings in Van Lang; Exhibitions of artifacts related to the Hung King worshiping heritage; The affection of the people nationwide, the attention of Party and State leaders, and international friends towards Hung Temple.

Visitors learn about the National Treasure, the Bronze Drum of Hung Temple, displayed at the Hung Vuong Museum.

The exhibits at the Hung Vuong Museum focus on rooms 1, 2, and 3, aiming to highlight the formation and development of the Van Lang state. The exhibits are selected from four representative cultural periods: Phung Nguyen Dong Dau, Go Mun, and Dong Son.

Among the precious artifacts at the museum, two National Treasures stand out: the Hung Temple Bronze Drum and the set of bronze belt buckles. The Hung Temple Bronze Drum was discovered in 1990 on Phan Ngui Hill, Hy Cuong Commune, Viet Tri City. It is the largest Dong Son drum known in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

According to Decision No. 2599/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister dated December 30, 2013, on the recognition of National Treasures, the Hung Temple Bronze Drum ranks first among the 37 artifacts and groups of artifacts recognized as National Treasures.

The bronze belt buckle set, unearthed at the Lang Ca archaeological site in Tho Son ward, Viet Tri city in 1976, is a unique artifact, the first and only one of its kind found in Phu Tho province to date. This bronze belt buckle set is one of the representative artifacts of the Dong Son culture and was recognized as one of the 37 National Treasures in the second phase. Both National Treasures belong to the Dong Son culture period, dating back approximately 2,500 years.

Visitors use an automated audio guide app to learn about the exhibits on display at the museum.

Since 2023, the Hung Vuong Museum has developed a plan to integrate an automated audio guide application into its visitor experience. With the outstanding advantage of integrating five languages: Vietnamese, English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, this application helps international visitors easily access and learn about the museum.

Ms. Do Thi Bich Thuy - Tour guide at Hung Vuong Museum (Hung Temple Historical Site): Since the application of automated audio guides, their superior features have been initially demonstrated. Especially for groups of children, large international groups, and those with limited time, they can use their smartphones to scan the QR codes posted at various points and on exhibits to obtain the most accurate and concise information about the exhibits they are interested in.

After visiting the museum with her fellow students from Nong Trang Secondary School, Garcia Vu Sandra, a girl of Vietnamese and Russian descent, excitedly said: "This is my first time visiting the Hung Vuong Museum. I had the opportunity to learn about and receive guidance from the tour guides who introduced me to the historical artifacts. Through this, I have gained a better understanding of the history and culture of the Vietnamese people. I am very proud."

The Hung Vuong Museum hosts many cultural activities such as traditional dance performances and bronze drum performances for the local people and tourists during the Hung Vuong Ancestor Commemoration Day – Hung Temple Festival.

Besides applying automated audio guides to enhance the visitor experience, the Hung Vuong Museum is also collaborating with the Department of Education and Training to implement a "History Lesson" model for students. This helps them learn about the history and culture of the ancestral land; and is gradually digitizing its entire collection of documents and artifacts to serve the management, storage, research, and historical understanding of the people and tourists. Furthermore, the museum also organizes many cultural activities such as traditional drum performances and bronze drum playing for the people and tourists during the Hung Vuong Ancestral Commemoration Day and Hung Temple Festival.

Hoang Giang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/khac-hoa-lich-su-noi-khoi-nguon-dan-toc-230020.htm