The rooms of the National Museum in Rattanakosin hold a vast collection of Thai artefacts, including royal regalia and exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay work. Buildings devoted to royal cremation are also open. Multilingual guided tours run on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Discover Thailand's history and culture at the National Museum, which builds on royal collections to cover every facet of the country's rich heritage. A wealth of exhibits include gold treasure, musical instruments, textiles, ceramics and old weapons.
Thailand's first public museum was founded by King Rama V in 1874 to display his father's collections. Originally situated in the Grand Palace, it was later transferred to the Palace of Wang Na before, finally, in 1934 it was taken under the wing of the Department of Fine Arts, being renamed the National Museum.