Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Museum

A classic yellow-and-white colonial-era building with a modest Chinese influence, the Fine Arts Museum houses one of the more interesting collections in Vietnam, ranging from lacquer- and enamelware to contemporary oil paintings by Vietnamese and foreign artists. If that doesn't sound enticing, just come to see the huge hall with its beautiful tiled floors. As well as contemporary art, much of it (unsurprisingly) inspired by the wars, the museum displays historical pieces dating back to the 4th century. These include elegant Funan-era sculptures of Vishnu, the Buddha and other revered figures (carved in both wood and stone), and Cham art dating from the 7th to 14th century. One room is devoted to a collection of totem-like funeral sculptures from the Hill Tribes of the Central Highlands.