Lao National Museum, Vientiane

One of the only museums in Vientiane documenting both the history of Laos and the history of war, this makes for an interesting afternoon's venture. The first floor focuses on the archaeology of the Mekong Valley along with black and white pictures of Hmong (Lao tribespeople) and their longstanding culture. The second floor is divided into a series of rooms, each displaying artifacts and pictures of periods in time dating back to 1353. Later rooms focus on the war and its effects.