Bangkok Folk Museum

The Bangkok Folk Museum, also known as the Bangkokian, sits behind a lovely garden, where a house dating from 1937 and comprised of three buildings, shows off what life was like in Bangkok prior to World War Ii. There are some really great period pieces here, such as a three-mirror vanity and a pleating machine, charcoal irons, and 75rpm records. The owner, Acharn Waraporn Surawadee, is the daughter of the original owners, and she lives in another small house right next to the rest of the displays. She wanted to preserve and show off what life was like for urban Bangkokians living in the city in the mid-1900s, and its quite the contrast to compare life then and now. The early influences of Westernisation can be seen in the items and styles displayed, and the entire property is an oasis of calm away from the city. The property was recently threatened by a condo development project that wanted adjacent land alongside the Chao Phraya River, and it was nice to see private citizens step up and donate millions of Thai baht to help the owner buy the encroaching land and keep the Bangkokian as protected heritage. It is one of the only free museums in Bangkok, and well worth a visit to check out Bangkok's wonderful past.