Cuc Phuong National Park is a nature reserve and special-use forest located in Nho Quan, Ninh Binh. The park covers an area of 22,200 hectares with rich and diverse flora and fauna typical of tropical rain forests.

Cuc Phuong is Vietnam's first national park, an archaeological and scientific research site. This place was honored by the World Travel Awards as Asia's leading National Park each year from 2019-2023.

Cuc Phuong Museum is located within the Cuc Phuong National Park in the commune of Cuc Phuong. More than 50 archaeological samples, 122 pickled samples, 82 animal samples, 2,900 insect samples of different kinds, and more than 12,000 plant specimens are preserved and protected there.

The first floor of the museum is a butterfly tower with more than 350 butterfly specimens.

The second floor includes many rooms storing fauna, flora and insects. It is also the area for displaying cultural and archaeological objects. The special object on this floor is the fossilized skeleton of a prehistoric man, dating back to 7,500 years ago.

 The fossilized skeleton of a human more than 7,500 years old

Hoang Thi Quyen, an officer of the museum, said Cuc Phuong Museum was established in 1973 with an initial aim of storing specimens to serve research. Since August 2020, the museum has been open to visitors.

Quyen said some specimens collected in the park serve investigations and scientific research. These include many objects seized from illegal wildlife trafficking cases throughout the country. The wild animals had died.

The specimens are displayed at the museum and their stories are told to students and travelers, so that the public has better knowledge about wildlife and nature protection in Vietnam.

“A special thing of the displayed objects at Cuc Phuong Museum is that they relate the evolutionary story of nature, from the time the earth was formed to the development of life until now,” Quyen said.

Visiting Cuc Phuong Museum, travelers can see two Bengal tiger specimens found from a cross-border animal trafficking ring by air. They were discovered and arrested by the Can Tho Forest Protection Department and the Can Tho Police.

Tran Nghi