Phai Mai National Museum

Phai Mai National Museum 

Phimai National Museum is located on Tha songkran Road nearby the Moon River, Nai Muang sub-district, Phimai district of Nakhon Ratchasima province. It takes about 300 metres from Prasat Hin Phiamia and about 59 kilometres from Muang district. This museum was opening ceremony of Phimai National Museum on August 4^th, 1993 by the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

This museum was open site museum, collecting art objects from Prasat Hin Phimai and its neighboring sites, and under the supervision of the Archaeology division.  

In addition, in 1975, it was sponsored by the Nationa Museums division and established to be the regional museum of the Lower Isan.  From 1989 to 1993 the Fine Arts department received a budget from the Royal Contribution Project or the Gree Isan Project to develop Phimai National Museum. The Permanent exhibition and its building, the museum office, auditoriu, study collection, storage area, guest house, and other facilities are now completed.

The museum is the center of cultural heritage in northeastern of Thailand, emphaxizing artifacts from the lower Isan, such as Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram, Surin and Sisa Ket. The interesting art objects belong to Davaravati Khmer art styles. The Davaravati style can be seen on Sima or boundary stone while the Khmer Style is evident in stone carving of lintels, pendiments, pillars and antefixs. The master piece of the museum collection is the stone status of King Jayavarman VII of Angkor Thom which was found in Prang Bhramadhatta, Prasat Phimai.  

Highlight Antique

King Jayavaraman ѴӀӀ

The last of the Great khmer kings. He built

Angkor Thom and the Bayon at Angkor,Cambodia.

Sandstone 13^th century A.D. discovered at Prang Bhramat,

 Prasat Phimai Nakhon Ratchasima province

Lintel depicting the churing of the ocean of milk

         Sandstone Angkor Wat Artstyle 12^th century A.D. from Prasat Ku Suan Taeng. Ban Mai Chaiya Phot, Buri Ram province.

Shell-Stone and glass Beads

Exhibition

Exhibitions are divided into three parts

         Part1: Second floor exhibition. This exhibition shows the development of communities in the lower part of northeast Thailand from prehistoric to recent periods.
        Part 2: Ground floor exhibition. This exhibition shows the archaeology and history of the town of Phimai. It includes the town environment, the construction of Prasat Phimai during the 11th - 13th centuries, and evidence of the flourishing religion, culture and economy of the time.
        Part 3: Outdoor exhibition. This displays sandstone objects used in the construction of Khmer temples such as Prasat Phimai. These include lintels, door columns, motifs, lotus bud-shaped crowns (the apex of the tower) and miniature tower.

Red Slopped and Burnished Pottery                                                          

2500-1500 years before present Excavated

from Ban Prasat, Nakhon Ratchasima province

Boundary Stone

Dvarati art (10^th-11^th century A.D) From Chaiyaphum.

How to get to the Phimai National Museum.

         From Nakhon Ratchasima, take State Highway No. 2 or Mitraphap Road (Nakhon Ratchasima - NongKhai). Turn right at the intersection at Talat Khae and proceed for another 10 kolometres. Cross the bridge over the Mun River and The Phimai National Museum will be on your left hand side.

Service 

Open: daily from 09:00am – 4:00pm

Admission fee: 30Baht

Services: Museum tour and bookshop

Tel: 044-471167