The Lanna Traditional House Museum: A Glimpse of Northern Thai Culture in Chiang Mai

The Bear Team 6 min read

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It is difficult to think of a place as quiet and fresh as The Lanna Traditional House Museum, which is almost located next to the Nimmanhaemin area, one of the busiest neighborhoods in Chiang Mai. 

The atmosphere of this museum is like a small village in a vast garden. It is a beautiful way to revisit history and understand the Lanna culture. As visitors often dismiss it, its visit makes it even more satisfying as you walk around the green outdoor side and look inside some structures without crowds.

Well presented with massive trees all around, a visit there will offer you incredible inspiration into conventional rural life. 

We can guarantee that if you have visited it yourself, it will make you feel like you've dropped into another world. Want to explore more? Then, join us on our tour of the Lanna National Museum in Chiang Mai.

 Fun Fact!

Gorgeous old trees enclose the Lanna National Museum. It is a highly relaxed way to use up an hour trying to picture the people who would have lived in these properties and how varied Chiang Mai must have looked at the time.

Olden Day Architectural Marvels

Lanna Traditional House Museum is an intriguing place built by Chiang Mai University. A small group of museums around 9 Lanna houses and 4 rice barns offers a look at the lifestyle. Various handicrafts and insides will similarly explain the art and architecture of the ancient days. 

This open-air museum oasis emphasizes the history and origin of the nation wonderfully. It is eventually one of the lesser-known spots in Chiang Mai, allowing you to study it at your rhythm. The museum has assembled the stories and is willing to explain the significance of the unique kingdom like 'Lanna,' deemed a historical kingdom. 

 Trivia

Tour the Lanna Traditional House Museum, CMU, online edition via https://art-culture.cmu.ac.th/en/360/.

The Beauty of Lanna Traditional House Museum

Chiang Mai University founded the museum as a standard for protecting the valuable Lanna cultural heritage. It's one of the most underrated temptations. Still, for many, that's a gift in disguise because the museum is never overcrowded with guests. You'll have a satisfying walk, relax in the leafy outdoor area, and enjoy delightful exhibitions.

The museum emphasizes 13 buildings to explore, and a visit should take at least an hour. Each building comprehensively describes the property in Thai and English, enabling you to appreciate how people lived in these houses back then. The buildings are gathered between numerous trees and lush greens, providing a tranquil atmosphere.

The main house here is built with outstanding details. There are whitewashed walls, large corridors, and a colonial feel. The museum is sheltered in a building created in 1932 when it was previously a property of the Bombay Burmah Company, popular teak vendors of their time. The former wooden building here dates back to 1907; they were renovated and shipped to add to the museum's shows.

A significant characteristic of the museum surfaces is the big Ceylon oak trees, which are supposed to make good wealth for those who live in the household. So, add this place to your Chiang Mai journey to realize a less-known but essential place. You'll get to a small information center and a cafe selling simple food and refreshments near its entrance. Feel free to explore at your own pace and take photos as you love.

Spectacular Sights at the Museum

Lanna Ancient House Museum, located in the Office of Arts and Culture Promotion at Chiang Mai University, has conserved a group of old Lanna houses and displayed them in the structure of The Lanna Traditional House Museum to perform as a place to study architecture and the Lanna way of life. It is a cultural glamour of Chiang Mai.

At present, there are 9 ancient Lanna houses and 4 Lanna rice barns:

• Colonial-style house (Uncle Q)

• Wiang Chiang Mai people (Phaya Pong Lanka)

• Ruen Ka Lae (Pad Ouch)

• Ruen Ka Lae (Phayawong)

• Ruen Tai Lue (Mon Tut)

• Lanna Local House (Oui Kaew)

• Local House, Mae Taeng District

• Panya Song House (Anusarn Sunthorn)

• The House of Nae Nae Kamthieng

Plus, 4 Lanna rice barns, namely

• Ruen Phayawong Rice Barn (Laohawat)

• Saraphi District Rice Barn

• Barn Barn

• Pa Sang Rice Barn (Nanta Kwang) 

In addition, the Lanna Traditional House Museum contributes space rental services for cultural activities. The museum grounds are shadowy, with huge trees that dissipate throughout the area, bringing about a fantastic, unwinding walk.

There are walking paths for people with disabilities. The innermost space is cultivated with overgrown greenery that looks relaxed to the eyes. At the side and the back of the antique house, there is also a vegetable and herb plot that Lanna people in the past used to grow together with the house for cooking. Make medicine and exchange as well.

Unveiling the Architectural Design of the Museum

After giving money at the entrance, you can use your own smartphone to scan the QR code to view the history and directions of the walk. Before arriving at the area where the historical house is discovered, there will be an indication expressing the walkway plan for you to read and study, along with planning where to see which house first.

In the group of all ancient buildings and houses, they can be separated into 3 types:

• The first type is an applied Lanna-style house built mixed with other architectural modes, such as the colonial-style house number one, which is the building that obtained the Outstanding Building Conservation Award in 1993.

• The second type is an ancient Lanna house belonging to the class of royalty or wealthy, such as Ruen Ka Lae, which is effortlessly visible, which is a big usable area, large and fabulous, both raw materials for the building containing large wooden slats, different carvings, ships, and arches.

• Type 3 is a middle-class or a typical rural house such as a local house in Mae Taeng District. The building points primarily to family use and has a balcony or a little tent to do outdoor activities and welcome visitors.

Why Visit the Lanna Traditional House Museum in Chiang Mai?

An adequate way to discover the culture and history of the area is to visit the Lanna House Museum, housed inside an old courthouse. While the glorious building will impress the architecture lover, the exciting gathering of artifacts will inspire your heart. The museum shows 18 varied exhibitions devoted to the cultural history and lifestyle of the people here. 

Furthermore, the Lanna Traditional House Museum conducts exhibits of elegant local handicrafts that have long been estimated, such as coloring fabric with raw dyes, back-strap hand-weaving, silvery making, perforating cloth, and mulberry paper making.

Each traditional house is over a hundred years old and was created with the traditional Lanna architecture, which is rare and exciting to captivate people. The museum has a lot to see and learn from various arts and paintings, including fabrics and tools.    

How to Visit the Lanna Traditional House Museum in Chiang Mai?

The Lanna Traditional House Museum is in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at Huay Kaew Road, Thesaban Nakhon Chiang Mai, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat. The postal code for Lanna Traditional House Museum is number 239 in Thailand.

For those planning to visit the Lanna Traditional House Museum, it is conveniently accessible on foot or by crossing the river, and taking a boat is unnecessary. Tourists can park directly at the location.

The nearest airport is Chiang Mai International Airport, which is approximately 6 kilometers away from the museum. You can reach the museum from the airport using a local taxi, which takes about 15 minutes.

 Did you know?

Check out another little-known but fascinating attraction next door: The Chiang Mai University Art Gallery.

Maps & More Information 

Lanna Traditional House Museum is a charming place founded by Chiang Mai University. Visiting this museum will make you feel like you've returned in time. You can learn what local life and culture were all about during the Lanna kingdom, which dates back several hundred years.