On the morning of March 26, as part of her official visit to Vietnam, Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong's wife, Loo Tze Lui, along with Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh's wife, Le Thi Bich Tran, visited the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi.
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology serves multiple functions, including researching, collecting, preserving, and restoring artefacts and documents related to ethnic groups. It also organises exhibitions, performances, and various activities to introduce and educate visitors about the cultures of Vietnam and other countries.
During the visit, the two explored the diverse and vibrant cultural heritage showcased in the museum's Vietnam Ethnic Culture Exhibition Hall, the Folk Architecture Garden, and the Southeast Asian Exhibition.
At the Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) building, dedicated to Vietnam's ethnic groups, Loo Tze Lui was introduced to the country's 54 ethnic communities. She viewed traditional costumes, musical instruments, farming tools, and everyday household items while watching vivid photographs and documentary films depicting their daily lives, crafts, and rituals.
At the museum's Folk Architecture Garden, nestled in a vast, tree-shaded space, the two admired traditional architectural structures from different regions of Vietnam, meticulously reconstructed to preserve their authenticity.
The visit also included hands-on experiences. The two guests learned about and participated in making Dong Ho folk paintings from Bac Ninh Province and traditional conical hats from Chuong Village, Hanoi.
They also explored the textile art of Vietnam's ethnic communities, where artisans demonstrated the intricate weaving techniques, colour coordination, and creative designs that define traditional brocade paintings, a symbol of Vietnam's cultural heritage.
The visit concluded with a cultural performance, during which the two women enjoyed Quan Ho folk singing from Bac Ninh, a musical ensemble titled Spring, and a Singaporean Dance performed by the Vietnam National Academy of Music.