History

Chiang Mai National Museum was established in 1969 initiated from land improvement of approximately 36,800 square meters with the construction of Thai style building decorated with Northern gable, Kalae. The total area was about 1,200 square meters, 800 square meters for exhibition.

The main purpose of establishment was to present the antiques and objects of art collected from the upper north included 8 provinces, i.e. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Phayao, Nan, Lamphun and Lampang. Chiang Mai was considered to locate the national museum because it has been the capital in the past as the center of Lanna Kingdom, or Northern Thai. It still remained as the center of prosperity of the north nowadays.

Chiang Mai National Museum was finished around 1971. Then, the permanent exhibition was presented as in-door exhibition and allowed the publics to visit since 1973 until now. Ministry of Education has issued the announcement of Ministry of Education on March 9, 1973 related to National Museum and indicated the location of Chiang Mai National Museum at Chang Phueak District, Muang, Chiang Mai Province which was the same announcement as Khon Kaen National Museum and Kamphaeng Phet National Museum announced on The Royal Thai Government Gazette, Volume 90, Chapter 29, on March 27, 1973.

The antiques and objects of art presented at Chiang Mai National Museum. At the initial stage, Fine Arts Department has collected the objects from various institutes which were Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center, Chiang Mai Provincial Government Office and temples in Chiang Mai and nearby. The objects were from the survey and transfer from abandoned temples at the area where Bhumibol dam was constructing covered some area of Sam ngao District, Tak Province, Hod and Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai, as well as from the publics. Moreover, there were the antiques and objects of art and the sample of arts in different era of Thailand which was originally collected at Phranakhorn National Museum authorized by National Museum Division. After there were more finding of excavation and restoration of archaeological sites located in 8 provinces of the northern Thailand, the antiques and objects of art collected from these matters were partly preserved, collected and presented at Chiang Mai National Museum to follow academic advancement and educational services.

Since 1996, the same period of 700th year Chiang Mai establishment, till 1999, Fine Arts Department has received financial support for renovation and expansion of the old building of permanent exhibition, 1,200 square meters, to fulfill the perfect exhibition by expanding the building as follows:

1.The exhibition building at the east and the north, two floors with more than 600 square meters.

2.Multi-purposes space in front of the meeting room with 300 square meters

3.The improvement also included the content of exhibition to cover multi-fields of subjects: geography and geology, archaeology of prehistory, history, ethnology and the arts of Lanna with the use of more various techniques of exhibition.

In 2013 – 2016, the in-door permanent exhibition was renovated, about 2,700 square meters, to be consistent with recent information with more instant and up-to-date information. Other facilities were also added for more convenient such as slope path, elevator and relaxed zone.

Moreover, there was the building for storage of objects with approximately 450 square meters. There were more than 700 square meters of arts management office was renovated to be the service center for the tourists.

Chiang Mai National Museum is the first national museum in the upper north of Thailand. It was also 1 of 7 nation museum which was presided over by Somdet Phra Poraminthra Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Sayaminthrathirat Borommanatbophit. The main purpose of the museum was to manage the antiques and objects of art found in Chiang Mai and nearby in accordance with the Law governing archaeological sites, antiques, objects of art, and national museums of Thailand in 1961, includes 2nd amendment in 1992 under the responsibility of the 7th Regional Office of Fine Arts Department, Chiang Mai, Ministry of Culture. The museum was categorized as a regional museum which was continually developed to be the center of education, preservation, and information services of cultural arts as the learning center and significant tourist attraction of Chiang Mai and other provinces in the upper north, early called as “Lanna”.