In 1874 King Rama V opened the first public museum in Thailand in the Grand Palace to exhibit his father King Rama IVs private collections of antiquities and other objects of interest. In 1887, the museum was relocated to 3 halls of Wang Na (Front Palace, meaning the palace of the Crown Prince). Later, King Rama VII gave over all the buildings in the palace compound to be the Bangkok Museum.
This largest museum of South East Asia currently houses 3 permanent exhibitions galleries.
1. The Gallery of Thai History starting from Sukhothai era until Rattanakosin era exhibited in Siwamokhaphiman Hall.
2. The Archaeologicl and Art History Collections which are divided into 2 sections.
(1) The Prehistory Gallery is displayed in the rear of Sivamokhaphiman Hall.
(2) The Art History Collections starting from 18th buddhist century until Rattanakosin Era are displayed in Prapas Pipitthaphan Building. And the ones after 18th buddhist century are in Maha Surasinghanat Building.
3. The Decorative Arts and Ethnological Gallery displayed in the old central palace buildings. It includes a variety of artistic, cultural and ehnological objects such as musical instruments, gold treasures, ceramics, mother of pearl inlay, costume and textiles, old weapons, etc.
Other exhibits of interest are such as
Cremation Chariot Hall which houses various chariots used for royal creamation ceremonies.
Morever, there are pavilions and throne halls such as Buddhaisawan Hall, Manklaphisek Hall, The Red House, Sala Long Song Pavilion, etc. These are the best examples of Thai architecture in the Early Rattanakosin Era which are all greatly magnificent.
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