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Visitors to these exhibitions have the chance to see such products as palm-leaf conical hats, hand-made fans, musical instruments, and drums intricately designed and made by traditional craft villages in the capital and nearby localities.

Through skilful hands of artists, these products have been displayed in the form of installation arts, becoming contemporary artwork.

They are exhibited at Kim Ngan Communal House on Hang Bac street, Dong Lac Communal House on Hang Dao street, the Heritage House on Ma May street, and Hanoi’s Old Quarter Information Centre on Hang Buom street.

Organisers say the event that lasts through July 31 aims to raise public awareness of preserving the distinctive cultural value of traditional crafts and to promote the image of the Old Quarter as an ideal tourist destination.

In the past, Hanoi was known for 36 streets and guilds and each of the guilds in the Old Quarter traded in a special kind of goods made from craft villages nearby. 

To name some, Chuong village in Hanoi’s outlying district of Thanh Oai was famous for palm-leaf conical hats; Dao Xa village in Hanoi’s Ung Hoa district was noted for making traditional musical instruments; and Doi Tam village in Ha Nam province’s Duy Tien district was known for making drums.

Many of local people in these villages are preserving their traditional crafts.