National Museum of History

In front of you is one of the most beautiful buildings in the French Quarter. It is neither purely French nor purely Vietnamese: it is a deliberate blend of both.

1The Orientalists' museum

The building began life as the Louis Finot Museum of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, the French school that studied the history, languages and monuments of Asia. Between 1925 and 1932 the architects Ernest Hébrard and Charles Batteur redesigned it completely. Hébrard championed an "Indochinese style": modern concrete structures with overhanging roofs, galleries and an octagonal tower inspired by the region's architecture.

Look at the corner tower: it is 1920s concrete, yet its silhouette recalls a traditional pavilion.

2From France to Vietnam

In 1958, after independence, the Vietnamese government turned it into a History Museum. Today it is part of the National Museum of Vietnamese History. Its galleries run from prehistory to the 19th century, and among its treasures are the bronze drums of the Đông Sơn culture, more than two thousand years old, and pieces from the Champa kingdoms.

This is the last stop on the route. From here you are a few steps from the river and ten minutes' walk from the lake, where you can find a café with a view.

3What to look for

• The octagonal tower on the corner, with its stacked roofs.
• The deep eaves, designed for the sun and monsoon rains.
• The galleries running along the façades.