Bangkok is visited by millions of tourists every year, but museums are probably not at the top of the list. However, Thailand is an old country with a lot of history and culture, which is reflected by the Bangkok National Museum, the country’s main history museum.
Located near the Grand Palace, the Bangkok National Museum is worth a visit as well. The museum is located on a spacious compound with exhibits spread across several buildings. There are also stand-alone buildings like the Buddaisawan Chapel, a large, exquisite hall that houses a golden Phra Buddha Sihing statue, as well as Red House, a traditional wooden teak house that used to be a royal princess’ private residence. You can enter both the chapel and teak house to take a look, though be mindful of locals in the chapel praying.
While I found the museum a little old when I first visited it in 2013, the museum has been renovated and now boasts a very modern Thai History main hall, which I saw when I went there again in 2017. However, the other halls have not been renovated (as of 2017) and still have a very old-time feel. The museum is actually not visited by too many tourists so it is possible to have entire halls all to yourself or with only one or two other visitors around, a stark contrast from other Bangkok attractions.
The Thai History hall features Thai exhibits from the prehistoric age up to the last few centuries such as Buddhist statues and ancient temple carvings. Other interesting Thai exhibits include royal barges and palanquins, which show how comfortably members of the royal family were transported. The palanquins required multiple servants to carry around by hand, which in the hot weather and sun must have been a terrible burden. Royal chariots are also displayed, which were used for royal cremations.
There are also ancient weapons (a large and particularly nice exhibit), musical instruments, as well as an art gallery. There is a good Asian section that features Buddhist and Hindu statues and carvings from the Khmer kingdom (Cambodia), as well as ceramics and artifacts from China, Indonesia and India.
How to get there: The museum is not near a subway station, so the best way to reach it by public transport is take a ferry boat on the Chrao Phraya River and get off at Tha Chang ferry pier. Walk straight to the Sanam Luang, a huge grass park, then turn left and walk. The museum is on the northwestern end of the park.
Note: The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as public holidays.
The museum also opens from 9-4 so don’t arrive too late.
Buddaisawan Chapel hall
Hindu god Vishnu sleeping on the cosmic ocean, 12th century AD, Buriram, Thailand
Statues of the Hindu goddess Kali, 12th-13th century AD, India
Royal palanquin used to carry members of the royal family
More royal palanquins
Sangkhalok pottery figure, Sukhothai period, 14th-16th century AD
Outdoor pavilion
Buddaisawan Chapel
