A museum featuring priced royal antiques and recreations of some traditional living spaces from the 19th and 20th centuries just opened in the Hue on April 26. Located at No. 114 Mai Thuc Loan Street, it is said to be the first private museum in the city. It is built in a renovated private house that belonged to, Tran Dinh Ba, a known high-ranking mandarin during the Nguyen dynasty.

This same building served as a governmental office after 1975. It was later utilized as a department store but had been abandoned for the last ten years. With an investment of nearly VND 4 billion (US$192,000) is now run by antiquity scholar and collector Tran Dinh Son, the great grandson of Tran Dinh Ba.Son is considered a leading expert in ceramic products of the Ly, Tran, Le, and Nguyen dynasties. The realization of his dream to open up the museum came after sending several letters to authorities requesting them to return the house to him for restoration in order for the museum to be put up. In 2007, the committee entrusted the house to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to have it restored for tourism purposes.An exhibition called ‘Essence of Handicrafts and Fine Arts from the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945)’ also opened at the same time featuring over 200 works on show. These include items gold and silver items, porcelain, pottery, bronze and bamboo crafts.

Largely of the objects on display connect to the “four pleasures” of the Vietnamese people from history. In fact, most of the olden ways are continued to be practiced by many folks including chewing betel leaves with areca nuts, drinking tea and wine, and smoking.With the museum displaying all his collection, Son believe such will offer people and artisans an opportunity to contemplate these precious objects made by their skillful ancestors.  During the opening ceremony, he expressed his aspirations that those who recognized the history and culture embodied by his collection will also develop their individual creativity and be able to produce equally beautiful, high quality Vietnamese handicrafts for the present and future generation to utilize and appreciate.