Bank of Thailand Museum

The Bank of Thailand Museum occupies Bang Khun Phrom Palace, a neo-Baroque mansion built in the early 1900s as the residence of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu, a son of King Rama V. Inside, 14 rooms trace Thailand’s monetary history from early exchange systems through to the Thai baht’s link to the international monetary system. Entry is free, but access changed when the palace reopened to visitors in July 2026: the Bank now runs guided tours rather than open admission, and reporting on the reopening describes weekend sessions booked in advance.

The palace itself is half the reason to visit — its cream-and-white facade and formal gardens are a rare surviving example of the neo-Baroque style Rama V-era royalty favoured for private residences. Inside, the standout rooms include the Ancient Coins Room, tracing currency from prehistoric bead money through to today’s coins, the Thai Banknotes Room, which walks through every printed series the country has issued, and a room marking the Bank of Thailand’s 60th anniversary that explains what the central bank actually does. Display cases hold old photographs and documents alongside the coins and notes.

Visits are guided by Bank of Thailand staff. Since the July 2026 reopening you should book ahead rather than arrive unannounced — the Bank has not published a full public timetable, and the sessions reported are on Saturdays and Sundays with limited places. Bring photo ID; a staff member holds it at the front desk for the duration of your visit. Personal photography is allowed inside, but no flash, selfie sticks or tripods, and a dress code applies throughout — long trousers or a skirt, shoulders covered, shoes off before entering the palace building. A library and public reading spaces attached to the museum keep longer hours than the exhibit rooms, running until 20:00, so it’s possible to linger even after the guided galleries close for the day.

Watch out: Access to the palace changed in July 2026 and older listings still show Tuesday-to-Sunday walk-in hours. Confirm the current schedule at botlc.or.th or on 02 356 7766 before you plan a trip around it.

Watch out: Food, drink and smoking aren’t allowed anywhere on the museum floor, and you’ll be asked to keep noise down — it functions like a working institution, not a casual browse.

The museum sits at 273 Sam Sen Road, in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, sharing its grounds with the Bang Khun Phrom Palace building itself. Contact the museum on 0 2283 6723 for group bookings or questions ahead of a visit.