The collection, mostly taken byFrench experts between 1885 and 1950, belongs to Hanoi-based retiredhistory teacher Doan Thinh and his son, architect Doan Bac. There areabout 150 photos of Ha Long Bay taken from airplanes, mountain peaks andboats, as well as images of people living in the bay.
"Earlyphotos by French in Vietnam are important historical material," notedleading historian Duong Trung Quoc, adding that the collection is amongthe most valuable materials recording French people's life in Vietnam.
Theexhibition also features 100 bottles of Da Lat wine bearing photos fromthe collection, which will be auctioned to raise funds for needychildren in the province.
It is a key event in the annual Carnival Ha Long, which started on April 25 and lasts until May 1.
Thinhand Bac have gathered old photos from various regions for the past 10years. They displayed their collection of old Hanoi in 2010, during thecelebration of the1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.-VNA