In a late 1930s building off the Charoeng Krung Road, the oldest thoroughfare in Bangkok, the Bangkok Folk Museum set in a garden down a quiet soi, offers a glimpse into the lives of ‘Bangkokians’ between the early and the mid 20th century. The museum takes visitors to a time when there were no electricity, water or sanitation connections. It also gives a peek into the history of the Bangrak district where the museum is located. The cool sophisticated surroundings of the Metropolitan Bangkok are a good place to be while exploring hidden gems of Bangkok’s history.
Three of the museum’s four buildings display different collections. The fourth is still the home of the daughter of the original owners. The first house, a two storied wooden structure was the family home. The ground floor comprising of sitting and dining areas, a library and guest room retain their original furnishings and fittings. Interesting pieces include a collection of late 19th and early 20th century porcelain, Chinese ceramics, grandfather clocks, a 1940s gramophone, a clothes press in which clothes had to be kept for nearly a week for the perfect look, charcoal irons, an old sewing machine, even perfectly folded table linen. The four bedrooms upstairs are maintained just as they were. An ancestor’s room has relics of long dead family members and Thai porcelain from the 18th, late 19th and early 20th centuries. The second building on the grounds, intended to be the home and clinic of a doctor has 1930s medical equipment and his cigar collection. The third building has a collection of stoves and kitchen equipment dating from the early 20th century, traditional and other kitchen utensils and large earthenware water containers. The upper floor of this house has the Bangrak museum featuring records and photographs of the district’s old waterways, its first cars and trams, photos of Bangkok’s fledgling road network and windmills that drew water from the canals. As a distinctive luxury hotel in Bangkok, the Metropolitan offers access to a series of high quality experiences.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
