The city of Bangkok has a long and rich cultural history that spans thousands of years; however not everyone has the time to visit the big museums and cultural sites to admire it. The Bangkokian Museum in Bang rak is a small charming museum that consists of two small wooden houses that have been preserved exactly as they were one century ago.
While not as extensive as the Bangkok national museum, it’s a great place to visit if you happen to be staying in a nearby Sathorn hotel, Bangkok, such as the Anantara Sathorn Bangkok Hotel, which is only 15 minutes away from the museum. Sometimes referred to as the Bangkok folk museum, the house is located down a small street, at the back of a lush garden that’s hidden from sight behind a big wooden gate. Whilst there is a large board which says ‘Bangkokian Museum, even that can be hard to spot if you’re not looking out. Entrance is free, so simply walk in and take a tour of the two houses and listen to enchanting story behind them.
Both houses features wooden floors and antique furniture, with daily used objects enclosed safely behind antique closets and glass casing. A cool breeze flows through the houses and while both are quite small, a large verandah at the back provides a lovely view of the garden. It’s not hard to imagine the people living spending time relaxing on the verandah, enjoying the shade of the trees.
Near the two vintage houses is a much larger modern building which houses a vast collection of antique objects. Most don’t have any historical value and some might even be very recent but it’s still quite interesting to view. A gallery is located upstairs with photographs taken around the country during the last centuries. If you’re interested in observing how ordinary locals lived in Bankgkok, the Bangkokian Museum is a delightful stop to see a real home, frozen in time, just as it was over a century ago.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
