National Museum the largest museum in Southeast Asia was e stablished by King Rama IV in 1851 to keep his private antique collections. Located near the National Theatre and Sanam Luang.

The National Museum houses an important and superb collection of artifacts and objects d'art ranging from the Bronze Age to Bangkok period.The complex consist of several old buildings once used as a palace.

In 1874 the first public museum was open by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in The Grand Palace, ground, the building namely "Sala Saha-Thai Samakom".

In 1887 the museum was relocated to the area of the Crown Prince. King Rama VII then gave over all buildings in Front Palace (Wang Nah) to be the Bangkok Museum.

The visit  starts with a useful  introduction to Thai history.  Note the black-stone inscription form Sukhothai, the oldest-known record of the Thai alphabet.  Two large modern buildings house the main collection of  pre-Thailand Thai sculpture, as well as pieces from elsewhere in Asia. An important exhibit in the southern wing is one of the earliest images of the Buddha from Gandhara in India, clearly influenced by classical Greek sculpture.  A garage in a nearby building houses the collection of magnificent royal funeral chariots.  Vajayant Rajarot is still used even though it needs 300 men to pull it.

Open: Daily from 9am to 4pm., except Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays. Admission 40 Baht.