Full of special effects and multimedia, this museum in #Suphanburi, a 1.5 hrs.drive from Bangkok, can easily entertain while educating kids about China ðĻðģ and the origin of Chinese in Thai country.
Suphanburi is very closed to Bangkok and also a convenient province, being used to be the main fertile region and water trading center before Ayutthaya period. Nowadays, we can still imagine its land of fish ð and rice ðū with the scene of rice fields on the way. A well-known uniqueness of original locals who are Thais is their Thai accent. However, the oversea #Chinese in the past also found Suphanburi full of living resources, they moved here especially along #ThaChin river bank where Thai-Chinese has rooted their community until now.
In 1996, #Dragon ðē Descendants #Museum was established to celebrate 20 years of Thailand-Chinese diplomatic relations in the same area of the city pillar shrine. You can notice it with a giant dragon which dominates the landscape as you drive towards the city pillar shrine with the size of 135 meters long, 35 meters high and 18 meters wide. Inside, 20 rooms exhibit the stories about China with light and sound, from the creation of the world ð according to Chinese myth, then to different dynasties represented by the important persons at that time such as Qin Zi Huang of Qin dynasty, the first emperor of China until the last room telling us the origin of Thai-Chinese people and how they have integrated with Thai people.
However, you cannot wander around by yourself. There's a tour guide ushering us through from room to room. She introduces us each room and let the multimedia presentation explain more in detail (all in Thai) . The foreigners can ask for an audio guide in English and Chinese before entering. You must carefully take care of little kids while keep following the guide because a door of each room will be closed when a group moves on to the next room. If a kid was left alone in the darkness even just for a few minutes, that could be a nightmare ðą. Also that's why you should take photos while listening to the guide before moving on promptly in five minutes after the presentation ends.
Everything about China as we used to see in a movie or in our (Thai?) daily life can be found here. For me, it's kind of introduction to China and Chinese people in Thailand. Apart of those big scenes from the rooms of The Three Kingdoms, the yellow river, the justice Bao of Northern Song dynasty, or Chinese opera, small things in Thai-Chinese cultures such as a deep-fried dough stick or a mooncake are also talked about.
Let's see how impressed kids get from here ð;
âĪïļ My daughter's friend said "I can see many models." Most important figures in Chinese history are alive in kids' memories; Qin Zi Huang, The Three Kingdoms, Chinese opera, old time Thai-Chinese, etc.
âĪïļ My daughter likes "The justice Pao throwing down the order of execution". The models of Justice Bao and his team can move while light and sound is playing along.
âĪïļ And my son has fun with 'jumping in the Yellow River' made by the visual technique changing the floor into the river and fish swimming in.
The #museum tour takes about an hour. After that you can stroll around outside in imitated 'Li Jiang' village, an over-1000-years old village and a world heritage city or climb up a 7-story viewpoint pagoda which was built on water.
And if you have more time, #SamChukMarket is opened until 5 p.m. and just 30 minutes drive ð from the #museum. This is a century old market along with Tha-Chin River. In the past, this place used to be a very important water trading center and a community of Thai-Chinese. Nowadays, this is one of the places for preservation of local travelling and be a prototype of the other old markets with a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.
Near the market, before going back to Bangkok, we have relaxing time resting at a tiny cute 'Ricker's Cafe'
We can feel the owner's good intention to create the best #cafe experience from the detail written in a menu. Premium natural ingredients are used. We try qualified Matcha Latte, refined Caramel Macchiato and Strawberry Smoothie, then food like steak, pasta, and easy Japanese fusion dishes. All is not bad at inexpensive price. Also I love that they have the eco-friendly products sold here.
#Dragon Descendants Museum is located in the City Pillar Shrine. The admission price for foreigners; adults is 499 baht and 299 for children. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday and also on public holidays. The tour starts every hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.(the last group). More info call. +66 3522 6211
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