A visit to the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum, Sukhothai, Thailand
The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum is located just near the Sukhothai History Park (central entrance), making it an excellent stop either before or after a visit to the ruins.
Ramkhamhaeng National Museum Quick Facts
Address: Mueang Kao, Mueang Sukhothai District, Sukhothai 64210, Thailand
Plus code: 2P95+43 Mueang Kao, Mueang Sukhothai District, Sukhothai, Thailand
Entrance fee: 150 baht (for foreigners)
Open every day from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm; closed on holidays.
Has parking and free public restrooms.
Museum Review
It’s an older museum that’s partially under renovation (as of September 2023), but most of the rooms are open to the public. There are a few displays on local modern history, but most of them focus on artifacts and information about the nearby temple ruins and the people who built them.
The museum has a particularly excellent collection of stucco sculptures and art! Some are from the nearby ruins and some are recreations. While it’s kind of a bummer the ruins no longer have much of their art, it’s nice to see pieces in the museum and sort of complete the whole “look” of Sukhothai’s history.
Besides the stucco, there’s several bronze statues, some stonework, and pieces from around the nearby area. What was interesting about those pieces was they show how the Sukhothai art style changed over time, as local people came into contact with outside cultures. For instance, there’s several big Hindu statues of Shiva and Vishnu, and some older-style Buddhas from the 13th century. They even have some Chinese porcelain which was imported during Sukhothai’s heydey.
There’s also a small outdoor area with larger statues and stucco recreations, and in the back are some apartments for staff and interns.
Well worth visiting to round out exploring the historical park nearby. You’ll need about an hour to see everything, 1.5 hours if you’re reading plaques closely.
Museum Gallery
Click to enlarge the photos!
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Save on Pinterest
Explore More
More adventures exploring historical sites: