Dragon House, Historical museum in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Dragon House stands near the Saigon River with two ceramic dragons on its roof and colonial architecture blending European and Vietnamese elements. The facade shows yellow walls with white trim, while the interior holds rooms with high ceilings and wooden floors.
Built in 1863 as headquarters for the Messageries Maritimes shipping company, the building gained importance when Ho Chi Minh departed from its port in 1911. This departure marked the start of his thirty-year journey through Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The museum displays photographs, documents, and objects tracing Ho Chi Minh's journey toward Vietnamese independence. The exhibition helps visitors understand how this departure shaped the country and its people.
Visitors can enter the museum on Monday and Friday from 8:00 to 12:00, and Tuesday through Thursday plus weekends from 8:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:30. The rooms spread across several floors, and photography is usually allowed inside.
The original dragons on the roof faced inward until 1955, when they were replaced with outward-facing dragons during renovation. This reversal reflects the political changes the country went through after independence.
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