Museums probably don't rank high on most people's list of tourist sights in Bangkok, but the truth is the city has many interesting museums and historic buildings, and it seems like a new one is opening every few months. Many museums are not primarily targeted at foreign visitors, but they're generally still tourist friendly. Many of these places are the result of Thais' own recognition that they need to collect and preserve the artifacts that help people understand their own heritage. Thus, these museums make excellent places to gain a deeper understanding of Thai culture.

There are, according to some, as many as 100 museums in Bangkok. Some of these are too esoteric, too run down, or just too difficult to see or get to for inclusion in this guide. For this first edition of the Bangkok Museums guide I have selected 22 of the most interesting and easy-to-get-to museums and palaces around Bangkok. The book is organized roughly by location, starting with the places of interest in the center of the old city, around the Grand Palace, and moving outward from there.