5 Must-Visit Bangkok Museums

One of the biggest selling-points of any major city is the quality of its museums. Museums are important because they help us engage with the history of a place, and by visiting them we understand a little more about the complex world we inhabit. Museums also improve our communities, by telling stories that help people celebrate a shared past. Museums are even known to boost real estate prices! When visiting cities like London, Paris, or New York, the museums should be top of your activity lists. Bangkok is no different, offering several excellent museum options. In this short article, CBRE shares five wonderful Bangkok museums that should be on your must-visit list.

1. Bangkokian Museum This museum gives a glimpse of the Bangkok middle class lifestyle around the time of World War II. It is situated in a beautiful old house, built in the 1930s, and has plenty of information about the area’s development at this time: the building of the roads and other forms of transport, the development of local trade, and the history of other relevant places to the community, such as Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok Christian College, and the first club during the reign of King Rama V.

Address: 271/2 Saphan Yao Alley, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500.
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Admission: Free, but donations appreciated.
More info: Bangkokian Museum Facebook

2. Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum Philately refers to the collection and study of postage stamps, so you can probably tell what awaits you in this fascinating museum! Housed in the Samsen Nai Post Office building on Phahon Yothin road, you’ll find a vast exhibition of ancient stamps, from the reign of King Rama IV onwards, a history of the Thai postal service, and many examples of much older stamps used in Britain and beyond. There are hundreds of collections on display, meaning that this museum has something to offer almost everyone with an interest in this area, from the smallest kid to the most serious collector. Address: 2nd Floor Samsen Nai Post Office building, Phahon Yothin road, Sam Sen Nai Khet, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400.

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Admission: Free.
More Info: +66 2 271 2439

3. Museum of Counterfeit Goods Without doubt one of the most unique museums in the city, the Museum of Counterfeit Goods is housed in the offices of the law firm Tilleke & Gibbins. Bangkok is unfortunately known for having a large market for such goods, and the museum’s goal is to reveal the extent of the forgeries, fakes, intellectual theft, and copyright infringement occurring in the city, and to educate people on why it is so harmful. Beyond marveling at the 4,000 items on display, visitors will have fun trying to spot the difference between genuine items and their fake counterparts. Address: Supalai Grand Tower, 26th Floor, 1011 Rama 3 Road, Chongnonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120.

Opening hours: Booking required except on Mondays at 2:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Admission: Free.
More Info: +66 2 056 5548

4. Bank of Thailand Museum Numismatics is the study of money, and this museum will satisfy even the most demanding and inquisitive of numismatists! The museum is situated in the stunning former royal palace, Bang Khun Phrom, on the Chao Phraya river, and as you might expect, it contains lots of coins and lots of paper money. Some of the coins even date from the Funan period—almost two thousand years ago. So, if you want to learn about money in the Sukhothai and Lanna periods, or see the entire history of Thai banknotes all the way back to the 1850s, or know more about how the first minting machine arrived in Thailand, make this museum a stop on your next visit to the neighborhood. Address: Wat Sam Phraya Khet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200.

Opening hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 to 12:00 a.m. 1:00 to 4:00p.m. (for group tours only), Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 14:30 a.m. (public)
Admission: Free.
More Info: +66 2 283 5286

5. M.R. Kukrit's House M.R. Kukrit was prime minister of Thailand in the mid-1970s, and his home is now a fine heritage museum showcasing the very best of traditional Thai home architecture. In a process that took place over twenty years, he assembled the house from five smaller, individual teak houses, and then connected them with corridors. As befitting a statesman of his eminence, his house is filled with fine art, gifts from world leaders, and surrounded by a stunning, peaceful garden. A little bit of paradise in the middle of a bustling metropolis. Address: 19 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 7, Khwaeng Yan Nawa, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120.

Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Every day.
Admission: THB 50 for adults. THB 30 for children.
More Info: +66 2 286 8185

The museums we’ve looked at are just a tiny fraction of the amazing galleries and museums awaiting you in Bangkok, so get your walking shoes on and your notebook ready and take a deep dive into the fascinating history of this incredible city.