The Fine Arts Department, through the Office of National Museums, in collaboration with Museum Siam, organized a special activity for Thai Museum Day 2026 under the theme “Thai Museums: The Bridges Uniting the World” on 20 September 2026.
The activity invited participants to step beyond the conventional museum setting and explore learning through a range of engaging activities centered on stories, people, and dialogue. It aimed to highlight the role of museums and learning resources in expanding access to knowledge, connecting people and communities, and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Museum Hopping: Morning Programme
The morning programme featured a learning journey through the Thonburi area, under the theme “The Secrets of Flavours: Salt, Fish Sauce, Sugar, and the Multicultural Treasures of the Chao Phraya–Tha Din Daeng Area.”
Participants visited the following museums and learning sites:
Museum Siam – A museum of learning that focuses on creating fresh, engaging, and enjoyable learning experiences.
Kudichin Museum – A small museum in one of Bangkok’s historic communities, telling the story of the longstanding relationship between the Siamese and Portuguese communities.
Laem Thong Saltworks – The remaining traces of one of the last traditional salt-processing facilities in the Khlong San area.
Tha Din Daeng Market – A historic area where local food, flavours, and community life come together.
Wat Thong Thammachat – A royal temple on the Chao Phraya River that reflects the influence of Ayutthaya artistic traditions in Bangkok.
Museum Hopping: Afternoon Programme
The afternoon programme moved to the Phra Nakhon area under the theme “Buildings, Neighbourhoods, and Museums.”
Participants explored historic buildings from new perspectives, discovering how structures that have long been part of Bangkok’s urban landscape have been adapted and developed into learning spaces in the present day.
The programme included visits to:
Museum Siam – Exploring the history of the building, from its origins as the Ministry of Commerce to its transformation into Museum Siam, more than a century later.
Department of Lands Museum – Discovering Thailand’s first land title deed, issued during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
Saranrom Park – Exploring the transformation of a former botanical garden and zoo into a public recreational space.
ASEAN Cultural Center – Learning about and gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse cultural identities of people across the ASEAN region.
Government Savings Bank Museum – Exploring the origins and development of saving and banking within the historic Ratcharit Rangsan Building.
Silpakorn University Art Gallery – Discovering contemporary art presented within the historic and architecturally significant setting of Wang Tha Phra.
Museum Curator’s Dialogue
The programme concluded with a “Museum Curator’s Dialogue”, featuring a discussion on “Cross-disciplinary Dialogue among Curators.”
The session brought together museum makers to exchange experiences, perspectives, and approaches to museum work, demonstrating how dialogue across disciplines can contribute to new ideas and collaborative approaches in the museum sector.
The activity was organized in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the direction promoted by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). It sought to strengthen cooperation between museums and communities and to foster partnerships and networks that can contribute to sustainable development in the future.
