The vice-king's palace
A museum in an old royal palace.
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Thailand's main museum and one of the largest in Southeast Asia, occupying the old palace of the vice-king, known as Wang Na, opposite Sanam Luang near the Grand Palace. King Chulalongkorn opened it in 1874 to display the royal collections of his father, King Mongkut. Its galleries cover Thai history from the Neolithic through the kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya to the modern era. Among its treasures is the King Ramkhamhaeng Inscription, listed in UNESCO's Memory of the World programme, alongside gilded royal funeral chariots, weapons, costumes, musical instruments and ceramics, and the halls of the old palace itself with their ornament. Tickets for foreigners are about two hundred baht; it opens Wednesday to Sunday from nine to four and closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Free guided tours in English run on set days. Allow two hours at least, as the complex is large and its buildings scattered. It is close to the Grand Palace, but it is better as a separate day or a quiet morning, as the palace alone is exhausting.
A museum in an old royal palace.
On UNESCO's Memory of the World.
Huge gilded funeral chariots.
Na Phra That Road, facing Sanam Luang
Wat Chana SongkhramAn old royal temple right next to Khaosan Road, dating to late Ayutthaya times, 6 minutes walk
Khaosan RoadA short street of no more than four hundred metres in Banglamphu that has been A7 minutes walk
Bangkok City Pillar ShrineThe place where Bangkok was officially born: when King Rama I founded the new ca7 minutes walk
Phra Sumen Fort and Santichaiprakan ParkOne of only two survivors of the fourteen forts King Rama I built in 1783 to gua10 minutes walk
Wat BowonniwetOne of Bangkok's most important royal temples, minutes from Khaosan Road, where 11 minutes walkIt is the best place to understand Thai history, and the old palace halls are lovely in themselves. For a lighter, interactive visit, nearby Museum Siam suits better.