The first thing visitors see is water spilling over rock formation into a stream flanked by rice mortars, a reflection of the unique cultural identity of the Muong people. Photos: VNA

The centuries-old Muong culture is captured in two sections: a reenactment section and a display section. The reenactment section contains 4 Muong stilt houses that illustrate the social stratification of feudal society. The Muong houses are differentiated by social status - the 'Lang' house for the most powerful families, the 'Au' house for the mandarins, the 'Tao'house for ordinary people, and the 'No' house for the lowest class, such as widows and orphans.

The “Lang” house for the most powerful families.

The “Au” house for the mandarins.

Further on are display rooms which showcase traditional Muong handicrafts such as knitted woven and embroidered fabrics, tools for hunting and farming, and items used in festivals, traditional observances, and religious practice.

The museum was founded by a painter Vu Duc Hieu born and raised in Hanoi, whose heart belongs to the Muong culture. His initiative to create the Muong Ethnic Group Cultural Space Museum was enthusiastically supported by the Hoa Binh provincial Department of Culture and Sports, administrators at all levels, and the Muong people.

After ten years of planning and a year of construction, the 2-hectare museum officially opened on December 16, 2007. It not only reflects Muong life and culture, it also hosts community art performances.

Located about 7 kilometers from Hoa Binh city centre, the Muong Ethnic Group Cultural Space Museum is the first private museum in Hoa Binh province, and the only museum in Vietnam devoted to Muong culture. Photos: VNA