When you visit this museum, be prepared to do a lot of sweating. Except for the newer annex, this museum is not air conditioned. I might add that the new (air conditioned) annex contains some amazing artifacts from the Thai royal family, as well as some historic collections that would be right at home in the Metropolitan or Field Museums. That said, the rest of the museum is spread out over several acres and several buildings. Many of the collections are behind thick steel bars and are difficult to see. The lighting in many of the exhibits seems to be almost an afterthought. It's probably what visiting a museum would have been like during the 19th Century. One of the best collections was the collection of royal carriages. The artistry of these hand-carved and sometimes enormous wagons are something to behold. Outside the exhibit centers, there are temples and traditional dwellings that have been brought in from around the country. They all seem a bit out of place and probably looked a lot better in thier original settings, but kudos to the Thais for trying to save thier historic buildings. As far as eating goes, there's an adequate open-aired cafeteria on the grounds that serves pad thai, fried rice and a few other hot meals. It isn't great, but it's fun to watch the birds fly around the room scrounging bits of discarded food. If you have some time to kill and want go get a sense of Thailand's rich history, then the National Museum is a good place to spend an afternoon. However, I wouldn't be putting it on any "must-see" lists. It's just a little too mediocre to earn that title.

The museum is great for those who wish to understand the history of thailand. fantastic first point of call if travelling up country as you will gain a better understanding of the sites yetto be visited which will enhance your stay and enjoyment. Very quiet when I visited. Practically had place to myself.