Originally constructed by the French as the seat of their colonial government, the palace became the seat of Japanese colonialism during World War II, was then handed back to the French, and finally became the seat of the independent government of South Vietnam. Two North Vietnamese tanks breached the palace gates on April 30, 1975, marking the end of the Vietnam War. Today, the palace is still used for some official state functions, though it is primarily a tourist attraction. It boasts grand ballrooms and meeting rooms, a movie theater, and quarters for visiting dignitaries. On the upper floors, a series of offices and meeting rooms are still decorated with maps showing the state of the war in the mid-1970s. In the basement are several reinforced bunker-like rooms full of antiquated radio equipment and more maps and reports on the progress of the war.
We visited as part of a tour with Handspan Travel that also included the Cu Chi Tunnels and other sites in Ho Chi Minh City. We loved the tour and highly recommend Handspan.