Bearing the name of Madame Curie, the famous Polish-French chemist, the school was established in 1918 by the French colonial government.

It was first run as a private school for girls only and served mostly French expatriates and a few local Vietnamese who came from wealthy families or government employees.

The school began admitting male students from 1970.

Following the Liberation of the South in 1975, the school was taken over by the Ho Chi Minh City Education and Training Department.

In 1997, the school transitioned to a semi-public model. With a total area of 20,700 square metres, it used to be the largest co-ed high school in the country, with more than 5,000 students attending classes each year.

The school then changed to a public model in 2007 and reduced its enrollment to about 3,500 students a year with an aim to increase the quality of education.

Marie Curie High School now has eight classroom blocks, with some newly built or renovated but still follow its original French design.

Many trees which were planted when the school was built over 100 years are still there.

Lots of equipment and photos of the school in the early days are kept in a Tradition Room inside the school.

Marie Curie High School was recognised as a cultural heritage site in 2015 and has become a famous tourist attraction in the city.