Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall

Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall review Rate it

The old town doesn't yet have its own full museum, but this major new permanent exhibition gives the official version of its heritage. Itssophisticated hands-on displaysmake for an entertaining two-hour visit. But the boastful narrative is more propaganda than historical exploration, and it hardly covers anything after 1932. The multimedia opener starts every 15 minutes, and can get backlogged in busy hours, but it can be skipped. Divided into an auspicious nine sections (two to be opened by 2011), it focuses mainly on royal culture and offers useful insights into the Grand Palace, court arts, traditional performance and selected ceremonies. A token look at communities dwells on bygone crafts, but a future section will cover ways of life. It's worth taking the audio guide (deposit B1,500). The shop has just branded souvenirs, not books, but there's a library and a café.