On Saturday, the Friends of Vietnam Heritage will hold an excursion to Lai Xá photography village in Kim Chung Commune, about 15km west of Hà Nội.

The village is the birthplace of photography in Việt Nam and the hometown of many talented photographers and scholars, including Khánh Ký, a photographer who taught the skill to President Hồ Chi Minh, historian, ethnologist and culture researcher, Prof Dr Nguyễn Văn Huyên and Vũ Đình Hồng – Hồ Chi Minh’s personal photographer.  

The day will start with a meeting with the founding director of the Museum of Ethnology, Nguyễn Văn Huy at the museum, which displays hundreds of objects and documents on the life and career of Huy’s father Nguyễn Văn Huyên, who was Minister of Education from 1946-75.

The museum, spread over four compact floors, tells the story of the minister’s life and that of his family, giving a superb insight into society and its changes, the politics and history of the nation through the eyes of this family.

In the afternoon, the group will visit a new museum dedicated to photography, which will officially open on May 15.

The tour will also visit the home of one of the village’s elderly photographers, who will tell stories of his life and the art of photography, which give great insight into Việt Nam’s society and history.

Donation: VNĐ320,000. Limit: 20 people. Contact: Stella Ciorra, Stellaciorra@hotmail.com (01662 979 605). — VNS