The Erawan Museum

Erawan Museum is a museum in Samut Prakan. It is well known for its giant three-headed elephant art display. The three storeys inside the elephant contain antiquities and priceless collections of ancient religious objects belonging to Khun Lek Viriyapant who is the museum owner.

Over 10 years of perseverance, common clay and dust were finally formed into the massive 43-metre tall sculpture which today stands on a long stretch of Sukhumvit road. The elephant's massive body, made of pure bronze, is set on the top of a huge round base painted in pastel pink. Inside the breathtaking museum hall invaluable reminders of Thailand's ancient heritage are kept, while its captivating interior is lavishly adorned with elegant decorative pieces of contemporary art.

The museum's three separate floors symbolise the universe and are designed in accordance with the three-tiered cosmology of the Hindu-Thai Buddhist concept of Tribhumi. The basement level represents the underworld. Alongside rare artefacts from furniture to ceramics and pottery, large display boards detail the history and construction of the Erawan Museum. Moving up to the next level, depicting the human world, the exquisite interior decoration inside the dome-shaped architecture reflects a harmonious blend of Eastern and Western art. Highlights include the splendid stained glass ceiling on which a world map and zodiac are illustrated, the creative design of German artist Jacob Schwarzkopf.

Location : Samut Prakan