Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s biggest island having diverse ecological conditions. During its 300-year old history, it has developed its own special brand of Vietnamese culture. The Phu Quoc Roots Museum” helps visitors gain a better understanding of the unique culture of the south-west island.

The precursor of the museum is the “Art Gallery Roots” founded by Huynh Phuoc Hue, a young businessman who has devoted a lot of time to developing local culture and tourism. The museum is located at 149 Tran Hung Dao Street, Duong Dong town, Phu Quoc. This is the first private museum in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

The museum was designed in harmony with the picturesque and imposing landscape. Huynh Phuoc Hue spent a lot of time collecting products from the sea and forest to obtain valuable items bearing historical meaning. The museum now has more than 2,000 items, including 1,120 antiques identified by the assessment council of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In addition, it has many works of art made from precious wood, stone, shell and coral and hundreds items found in shipwrecks. The most valuable antiques are 3,500 year-old stone axes. Also, there are Vietnamese ceramic collections dated 7^th and 8^th century, Thai and Chinese collections dated 15^th and 16^th century and other collections of the Ly and Tran dynasty. These antiques help visitors understand daily life in the glorious period of the dynasties.

The museum has precious and valuable items such as skeletons of a sea-cow, wild boar, crocodile and whale. All items are showcased in a five-storey building and outdoor showroom on an area of 40,000sq.m. The museum is divided into six main themes:

Part 1: History of Phu Quoc’s nature and creatures
Part 2: History of the exploration and struggle to protect Phu Quoc Island
Part 3: Phu Quoc- island beauty
Part 4: Phu Quoc- potential and prospect
Part 5: Special display (some ceramic collections)
Part 6: Outdoor display

At the outdoor display, visitors can enjoy a wood statue village, buy souvenirs and watch sea dogs and eagles.

Huynh Phuoc Hue runs a workshop to make handicraft products made from ancient peach trees in Phu Quoc’s primeval forest. Visitors can choose souvenirs and jewelry, such as pearl, tortoise-shell, shell bags, and coral pictures.

Guest-houses have reading-rooms with a wide range of books to meet demands of those seeking more information about Phu Quoc Island, which is famous for sea dogs and 50 adult eagles serving as a weather forecast station. Whenever they screech local people know that there will be rain or storm coming soon.

Travel agents include the museum in their tours and 80 percent of Phu Quoc tourists visit the museum.