The National Museum of Korea (Museum Director: Kwang-shik Choe) will be opening an exhibition entitled "The Life and Culture of the Vietnamese" that will open on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008. This exhibition will open to the Korean public a collection of valuable cultural artifacts that are on a two year, long-term loan from the National History Museum, National Ethological Museum, and the National Museum in Vietnam along with items from the National Museum of Korea's own collections.

According to the subject and the nature of collected items, this exhibition space will be divided into three sections: The Vietnamese People and Their Handicrafts, The Ancient Civilizations of Vietnam, and Vietnamese Ceramics.

On display within the first section of the exhibition, "The Vietnamese People and their Handicrafts," will be Vietnamese traditional clothing, musical instruments, dolls, baskets, lacquer ware and other items that play a significant part in the daily lives of the minority groups of Vietnam. Through these cultural items, visitors will be able to get a deeper, more diverse look at Vietnamese culture, while also getting a glimpse into the Vietnamese leisure culture through water puppet dolls and traditional instruments. They will also be able to come into contact with the funeral culture of Vietnam through a special exhibition display of the wooden dolls traditionally set around the perimeters of a grave.

In the second part entitled "The ancient civilization of Vietnam," images of the ancient Dong Sun culture will be on display. The Dong Sun culture can be said to be the single most important source and symbol of ancient Vietnamese culture. The bronze drums that will be part of the display in this section of the exhibition are not only are they the pride of the Vietnamese people, they are also considered to be the symbol of Vietnam's enlightened culture and civilization. By getting a closer look at the intricate patterns etched into the bronze drums, visitors will be able to command an indirect look into the Vietnamese outlook on life and nature.

The last section of the exhibition, "Vietnamese ceramics," will have on display a vast range of ceramics from as early as the 2th century B.C. through the 19th century. Through these chronologically placed pieces of pottery, visitors will be able to take in the origins and developmental process of ceramics in Vietnam in one sweep. With the exception of Vietnam, it will be difficult to find an exhibition of this range and depth currently on display in any other museum in the world.

Currently, Vietnam is trying to rise above negative images of their past such as the Vietnam War and subsequent refugee crisis while they seek renew their national image  to reflect their status newly rising industrial nation in South East Asia with much to offer the world. This exhibition will provide visitors with a spectacular view into the ancient culture and ethnic customs of Vietnam and show how their enlightened past that has supplied the power to rapidly change and develop Vietnam into the nation it is today.