The Bangkok National Museum is located in the Boworn Sathan Mongkol Mansion area, or the 'Front Palace' (Wang Na), which was built in 1887, the same period as the Grand Palace. It was built as a mansion for 5 prince viceroys as the royal residence during King Rama V. Afterward, his majesty ordered: “the royal museum” at Sala Sahathai Samakhom or the Concordia Hall in the Grand Palace to move of ancient artifacts and antiques to be displayed in the museum. In 1934, king Rama VII granted permission to set up all Phra Maha Monthien Palace Group of Boworn Sathan Mongkol Palace to be the national museum for the city and declared as “Phranakorn National Museum”. (reference from the Museum Thailand website.
The museum has three main exhibition spaces:
Siwamokhaphiman Hall - This building was built when the Prince Successor to King Rama I, Maha Sura Singhanat, built the Palace of the Prince Successor. Originally used as an audience hall, it now houses the Thai History Gallery.
Buddhaisawan Chapel - The chapel was built in 1787 to house an important Buddha image, Phra Phuttha Sihing. Inside the chapel, murals depict scenes from the life of the Buddha.
The Red House - This teak house was originally one of the private living quarters of Princess Sri Sudarak, the elder sister of King Rama I. It was moved from the old palace in Thonburi to the Grand Palace for Queen Sri Suriyendra, wife of King Rama II. Today the Red House is furnished in an early-Bangkok period style which illustrates the royal lifestyle of the past with some of the objects once belonging to Queen Sri Suriyendra.
Thank you for the new technology that brings the museum into your by Visual Tour with sound and text explain exhibition inside National Museum Bangkok.
Check out the virtual tours of National Museum Bangkok at Visit National Museum Bangkok