The National Museum Bangkok
The National Museum Bangkok
4
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
This museum, considered the largest in Southeast Asia, houses a vast collection of antiquities including prehistoric art, murals, bronzes, exhibits from other Asian countries and ceremonial carriages used by royal families.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighbourhood: Riverside
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See what travellers are saying
- James O58 contributionsA wealth of Thai History in BangkokThe national museum in Bangkok contains a plethora of Thai historical artifacts and pieces. For an entrance fee of just 200 Baht, it’s a worthwhile place to see some ancient artifacts and wander the huge grounds. I personally enjoyed it here more than the more popular Grand Palace; it’s also far less crowded.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 9 November 2023
- genibre69London, United Kingdom5,452 contributionsAn incredibly interesting 3 hoursAbsolutely fantastic museum complex, if a bit confusing on the layout. At 200 baht pp, it’s a steal for how much you can see. All captions are translated into English. I spent 3 hours here (!!) and could have easily spent another hour. Incredibly interesting information. Be forewarned you’ll have to take your shoes off for some buildings and building sections- can be a bit annoying but c’est la vie. Photos allowed. The royal chariots are especially cool.Visited November 2023Travelled soloWritten 12 November 2023
- Marie MChiang Mai, Thailand578 contributionsBuddhist artefacts from many countries astound the visitorI decided to visit the museum and only look at two of its many buildings, saving the others for future visits. I concentrated on the Buddhist sculptures and artefacts from temples and Hindu deities and Buddhist boddisatvas. I also looked in the prehistoric section to study the shards, pottery, ceramics, and bronze items from long ago. The museum is organized very well and the displays are solemn and reverent. It is very worthwhile to visit the museum and take your time.Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 4 December 2023
- marftripKernersville, North Carolina339 contributionsOutstanding “Must See” in Bangkok!Although I enjoyed most of the museums I visited in SE Asia, I was often surprised that it only took a few hours to cover them, including other national museums. So it was a wonderful surprise to visit Thailand’s National Museum and spent a lovely five to six hours exploring such a rich and deep collection! The holdings are spread across a number of buildings, all of which are worth at lest a stop. The two history sections are outstanding - and thorough without overwhelming - while the arts collection is just stunning! Well presented with lots of English descriptions, this is a great overall look at Thai history and culture. Full disclosure, I’m a historian that spends hours in museums. You can easily cover this museum in less time, but it really should be a “must see” while in Bangkok. My thanks to the curators whose love of their artifacts and culture are evident in the exhibits!Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 19 December 2023
- maclaukHaslemere, United Kingdom48 contributionsEnsure you come when a free tour is onFree tours by English speaking volunteers at 9:30 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I was lucky enough to arrive for one of them. My advice is make sure that's when you come. Christopher gave a brilliant summary of Thai history and pre-history and the necessary grounding in Hinduism and Buddhism to understand it. It's a well curated and labelled collection of exhibits but the tour gave me the best understanding I've had in 20 years of visiting the region.Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 26 December 2023
- HMKarenLos Angeles, California1,348 contributionsCool museum, really nice collectionBeautiful museum with a great collection. It's spread through a few different buildings. Furniture (including golden thrones), ceramics, clothing, puppets, statuary---lots of fun stuff. Oh, and there is one building with enormous, spectacular funeral chariots! Chariots the living royal family would ride in for someone ELSE'S funeral, that is. Check those out! The museum is close to the Grand Palace. The price is 200B, and that gets you into the Royal Barges Museum too. But they're closed on Monday and Tuesday, so pick a different day.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 February 2024
- Chris SEglinton, United Kingdom763 contributionsExtremely good - well worth the visitThis is a great museum spread over a range of buildings each one covering a different aspect of early Thailand, only 200 Baht (£3.60) per person. Exhibits are well labelled and there are some video presentations as well. We spent a very enjoyable few hours there.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 February 2024
- Руслан С9 contributionsWonderful museumWonderfull and huge museum. There are guided tours throughout museum every Wednesday and Thursday at 9.30 in English, French, German and Japanese. Guides-volonteers are passionate about telling about Siam's history and buddhism. They proffessionally and with a sence of humor lead you towards the exhibition. It's worth to be visited.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 March 2024
- ElleManila, Philippines323 contributionsHistorical Ship Designs TripAn interesting museum with good artifacts. I like the ship designs and the stories of the antiques. I wish I had more time to explore the museum. I probably could go relax there the whole day if I don't have other trips planned.Visited February 2024Travelled soloWritten 9 April 2024
- Candice MSwanley, United Kingdom842 contributionsA great museum with many interesting artifactsLoved this museum. Spread over a number of buildings there were some spectacular exhibits with very diverse subjects. Well air-conditioned which allowed you the comfort to really enjoy the artifacts on show. Well presented and beautifully displayed. One of my vary favourite places.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 April 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
950 reviews
Excellent
412
Very good
294
Average
174
Poor
54
Terrible
16
SeanWade
Philadelphia, PA38 contributions
Dec 2019
Recently I was afforded the opportunity to visit The National Museum, and found it very enjoyable. There was a special exhibition of the Terracotta Warriors, which was stunning. The museum was very organized, especially given the very large crowds of visitors trying to see this exhibition.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ollerbarrow
Altrincham, UK1,510 contributions
Jan 2020
A great primer of Thai culture – mostly air conditioned so a good place to go in the middle of the day. Great collections and well explained exhibits in a number of old Royal buildings. You need to remove your shoes a lot because you are either entering religious places or into somewhere with wooden floors, so slip on shoes are to be preferred. The Front Palace museum and the Funeral Chariot garages were our favourite places amongst the teens of different areas, but if your brain can cope with it you could spend all day here!
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bkk34
Bangkok18 contributions
Apr 2023
Our group of 5 adults and 7 children enjoyed a fantastic guided tour of the museum. The tour, led by Elodie, enabled us to get a snapshot of the museum in one morning (where one could easily spend days visiting the entire complex) and to learn much more than expected about Thai art, culture and history. Strongly recommended! The private tours can be booked, free of charge (led by highly knowledgeable and skilled volunteers), two weeks ahead of time. The museum also offers guided tours several times weekly on a regular schedule.
Written 10 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mirelad
Bucharest, Romania37 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Very nice museum close to the grand palace. It is open only from wednesday to sunday. Admission 200 baht pp. It is composed of several buildings, some with statues, some with musical instruments, poetry and so on. Also 2 temples. You really learn more about thai culture.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon
11 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
I went today to the National Museum, and was surprised by the free guided tours offered in English, Japanese, French, and German. The tours start at 9.30 am. I did the latter, and Eva was a very kind and knowledgable guide. The museum itself worths a visit even without tpur. The exhibitions are very well prepared and interesting.
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Theresa W
Greater Sydney, Australia6 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Wonderful museum with the most beautiful Buddhas, thrones, children's intricate toys, pottery, royal objects. We spent 4 hours here easily. Nice pad Thai at little Cafe onsite for late lunch was delicious and only 50 baht. Recommend this museum when in Bangkok.
Written 18 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judith S
62 contributions
Feb 2020
This Museum, on a single campus, in several old buildings is well worth a visit. The gilded carriages of the royal family are spectacular. Within easy walking distance of the Royal Palace. Several galleries were under renovation, and closed to the public, but the front palace, one large area of Early Thai history was enough to impress.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RonnieFriend
Stockholm, Sweden260 contributions
Jan 2020
A lovely park-like grounds with separate buildings that house various exhibits. Many of the objects and displays are really awesome to see, but there is a lot of boring stuff too. There's really more building and empty rooms than there are actual objects to view. The royal carriages are probably the most impressive things, but also lots of clothing and objects that give you a feel and impression of royal Thai culture and history. A really excellent exhibit of musical instruments and puppets, also. The Buddhist Temple on the grounds is also very lovely. Not just a museum but also a real place of worship. A small cafe and a fine shop helps to fill the time as well. I'm glad I spent a couple of hours here during my week in Bangkok. Nice, but not a "must."
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca
United Kingdom66 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Entry only costs 200 baht and there is sooo many exhibitions here! A few of them were closed due to restoration but there was still so much to see. On entry you are asked to place your belongings in a cloakroom which is no problem however when we were walking around, we saw many other tourists with bags similar sizes to ours which left me a bit confused. Next to the ticket office there is a museum gift shop and a café which sold some very nice pastries and iced drinks too. You could spend so many hours here looking at all the wonderful things.
Written 8 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aethelred
Cambridge, MA1,384 contributions
Mar 2022
This is a great museum, and indeed the renovations were highly successful; it's a must, an historic compound in itself (the former Front Palace), including an ancient pagoda with fantastic murals.
Easily five stars, but - while I understand the issues - one of the rudest staff, and I mean altogether, in Thailand dampens the experience for me. I understand staff needs to fight against unruly and presumptuous tourists, but the one here is so greedy, imperious, and a mixture of lazy and imposing (and disregarding their own rules) that I can only explain that by entitled clientelism, i.e. you get hired here for another reason than your qualification.
Oh well, it's still a great place, and by now, I go and focus on one building or wing only, because otherwise, it's by far too much (this is so for all big museums ofc). The collections are too good to just run by and notice en passant. This time, after visiting the pagoda, I went to the ancient and comparative statues building, and that in itself would be a great collection in London or Paris. Really well displayed now, and worth the high entrance fee.
Let's see what I'll see next time.
Easily five stars, but - while I understand the issues - one of the rudest staff, and I mean altogether, in Thailand dampens the experience for me. I understand staff needs to fight against unruly and presumptuous tourists, but the one here is so greedy, imperious, and a mixture of lazy and imposing (and disregarding their own rules) that I can only explain that by entitled clientelism, i.e. you get hired here for another reason than your qualification.
Oh well, it's still a great place, and by now, I go and focus on one building or wing only, because otherwise, it's by far too much (this is so for all big museums ofc). The collections are too good to just run by and notice en passant. This time, after visiting the pagoda, I went to the ancient and comparative statues building, and that in itself would be a great collection in London or Paris. Really well displayed now, and worth the high entrance fee.
Let's see what I'll see next time.
Written 18 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour, nous aimerions faire la visite en français demain matin, comment trouver le guide français sur place ?
Written 16 April 2019
La personne est juste à côté du guichet de vente des billets d’entrée, avec un panneau. Début de la visite à 9:30. Bonne visite !
Written 17 April 2019
Yes, no problem but without flash.
Written 17 January 2019
Yes, you can take picture without using flash except the sections that indicates No Photo to be taken.
Written 12 January 2019
Hi! Please let me know the year-end and New Year holidays this year. Is there a night tour on Saturday, December 29, and a Japanese guided tour on January 2?
Written 12 December 2018
Sure. As long they are not hotpents ;)
Written 23 November 2018
Is it possible to arrive with backpack and leave it in a cloakroom during the visit?
Thanks a lot!
Written 22 August 2018
Hi,
Is the admission free or discounted since majority of the museum is closed of for renovation?
I have a group of 5 with me, planning to visit the museum.
Would like to know so that we can decide whether to visit the museum or not.
Written 25 December 2017
Hi, when we visited in November it was free to get in. This, we were told, was because of the King’s death. Although there are renovations going on, there is still much to see, and there were large crowds including many groups. We found the museum most interesting.
Written 26 December 2017
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