Xieng Khouang Provincial Museum — Attraction in Xiangkhouang Province

By Classes 3B & 4A

This new museum is a must for your itinerary. It gives you a great overview of the province, the people and its history. Make sure you plan at least 1 hour for your visit, longer if you want to watch the films. You will not be disappointed!

The museum is set in a very new Lao-style building. It is divided into different, spacious sections each with displays and information.

On the first floor, there is some information and artefacts from the Plan of Jars – the unsolved mysteries. Around a corner, you can read about and see examples of clothing from the Puan Kingdom.

When you go upstairs, you see on your left, wall displays and information showing the different invasions by Thai and Chinese people, and the French and Japanese occupations. Each of them ended in war, with the Lao people gaining independence under the guidance of Phoumy Vongvichit.

Next, you can see beautiful mannequin displays of men and women of every ethnic group wearing traditional jewelry and clothes. These things can tell you the difference between the rich and poor. Rings, earplugs, necklaces and bracelets made of silver are for the rich, and bronze and copper jewelry for the poorer people. Jewelry can be a gift for exchange when they go to weddings, and it can also be family heirlooms handed down through the generations. Other jewelry can protect you from spirits and nature. All the clothes are handwoven by the women. There are examples of the weaving tools and many farm tools. These are all made of wood and metal by the men.

Finally, at the back, there is a video room where you can watch 4 short videos. These are a real treat as they explain in much more detail the history, wars and the cultural diversity that make Laos and Xieng Khuang such an interesting place to visit.

When you go back downstairs, don't forget to visit the gift shop. Inside are some great souvenirs – including Lone Buffalo merchandise! There are hand-made Lao clothes, scarves, pillows, bags, bracelets, and spoons made from bomb shrapnel.

The museum is a must for your itinerary. It gives you a great overview of the province, the people and its history. Make sure you plan at least an hour for your visit. You will not be disappointed.

How to get there - The museum is located a short 20-minute walk from downtown or a very short tuk-tuk ride.

Visiting Hours Mornings: - 9:00-12:00; Lunch Break: 12:00-1:00; Afternoons: 1:00-5:00; Closed: Saturday, Sundays and Public Holidays.

Price: 5,000 kip for locals; 15,000 kip for foreigners

When you enter, you are greeted by friendly, informative staff. You can buy your ticket at the desk and store any items in the lockers. The staff will then tell you about the rules and proceed to give you a...

We went on a Wednesday at opening time - it's supposed to be open according to their sign, but it was closed - there were staff in the nearby offices but they just said closed.

We went to the coffee shop close by - Meung Xieng Cafe - which was great - and checked again on the way back and it was still closed.

Locals seemed surprised it was closed on a Wednesday, so maybe we...

A modern well presented museum with information on the history of the region from the Plains of Jars to the US devastating bombing and its recovery. The three films in the theatre are particularly interesting covering the recent war, the Jars and the cultures of the people who live here.

Well worth an hour of your time when...