Ma May Old House

Located at number 87, Ma May Old House is one of the few surviving examples of traditional urban Vietnamese homes from the late nineteenth century. Built during the Nguyen dynasty for a merchant family, it follows the classic “tube house” layout: a narrow street-facing façade for business, with living spaces extending deep into the lot. Inside, the house is arranged clearly: the shop at the front, followed by reception rooms, bedrooms, an inner courtyard, the kitchen, and the ancestral altar at the center of family life. The courtyard brings in natural light and fresh air to the long, narrow house. The wooden structure, carved beams, and period furniture show refined craftsmanship, while decorative tiles and balustrades reflect French influence from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the late 90s, Hanoi and Toulouse worked together to restore the house, bringing back its original layout and atmosphere. The house reopened to visitors in 1999 and was listed as a National Heritage Site in 2004. Today, it is a museum where you can get a glimpse into “the everyday life of a Hanoi merchant family at the turn of the century.