Antiquities get a new life at the Fine Arts Department’s CSNM

Located 60 kilometres north of Bangkok in Pathum Thani province, the Central Storage of National Museums (CSNM) is a haven for archaeologists, researchers, scholars, and art enthusiasts.

Spanning 300,000 square metres across four floors, this state-of-the-art museum repository, a study collection, is the new home for more than 100,000 artefacts and historical items. These treasures range from prehistoric red-painted pottery of Ban Chiang to a sixth-century inscription from Sri Thep and a Siam Coat of Arms crafted from hardwood in the twentieth century.

Every shelf and cabinet in the Central Storage of National Museums holds stories of human endeavours, spanning time, geography, and cultures within Thailand and beyond. Now, these contents are conveniently accessible for study and research.

Initiated by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, a dedicated guardian of Thailand’s heritage, and managed by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand (FAD), the project cost THB 700 million and took seven years to complete. This repository not only systematically preserves national artefacts but also serves as a hub for studying and researching history, archaeology, arts, and related disciplines.

“The Central Storage of National Museums aims to accommodate the growing volume of antiquities uncovered annually through systematic archaeological excavations,” says Phnombootra Chandrajoti, Director General of the Fine Arts Department. “It is designed with a visible stage to promote browsing, archaeological study, and research.”

Historical stone sculptures stand in rows at the Central Storage of National Museums.

Undergraduate students working on a thesis as well as researchers from a university or private organization can now find the objects of their studies at the Central Storage of National Museums without needing to visit multiple locations.

The Central Storage of National Museums shares the compound with the Kanjanaphisek National Museum (Golden Jubilee Museum) in Pathum Thani Province.

Boasting a Thai contemporary design, the facility incorporates double-layered frames, both horizontal and vertical, to reduce external heat. Lightweight bricks line the interior walls to retain less heat and resist fire. The outer wall is made of aluminium with drilled holes to filter sunlight, while the transparency promotes air circulation to release heat and humidity. The roof design minimizes heat transfer from outside, conserving energy.

In total, the space comprises 10 repository rooms, each housing collections of stone and stucco, terracotta, glass, metal, and wood antiquities. The ground floor storage room, designed to support heavy weights, is home to stone and stucco antiques and artefacts, which tend to be the heaviest.

The Fine Arts Department relocated its large archaeology and history collection from a former central storage area in the National Museum Bangkok to the Kanjanaphisek National Museum. Currently, 113,849 artefacts and historical items are displayed in the new museum repository, including masterpieces like Gajalakshmi (9th century) and the Inscription of Sri Thep City (6th century).

Prehistoric potteries of Ban Chiang line the shelves at FAD’s new study collection.

“We offer two types of services at the Central Storage of National Museums. General visitors can access the library, the antiquities database, and request copies of artefact photographs,” says the FAD’s Director General. “Those wishing to study specific items must seek permission, after which our staff will facilitate their exploration within designated areas.”

Central Storage of National Museums, Thailand’s new study collection, houses over 100,000 artefacts and historical items.

Moreover, the Department of Fine Arts has established access channels for visitors to immerse themselves in the ambience of the antiquities storage room and view significant artefacts from every angle via the Virtual Smart Museum and FAD discovery apps.