It will probably come as no surprise to visitors to this museum that the general tone is very patriotic and full of praise for Vietnamese soldiers' achievements in unequal battles with the French and Americans. Displays consist mostly of photographs and dioramas of battle scenes, while outside a jumbled pile of planes, tanks, bombs, and guns brings home the ugliness of war. For a view of the surrounding area, climb the neighboring Flag Tower (Cot Co), and for a deeper exploration of Hanoi's past, head round the corner to the Hanoi Citadel, now listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.