Bustling Bangkok | Part 9 | Erawan Museum

During our vacation, we spent seven days in Bangkok. I’m going to split our time in Bangkok into multiple parts to cover a wide range of information about the places we visited, the modes of transportation, and the costs involved.

In this ninth chapter, I’ll share our experience at the Erawan Museum.

The Erawan Museum was on our bucket list due to its elegant interior and especially the beautiful staircase that’s very popular on Pinterest for its glamorous design.

A Bit of Background

The Erawan Museum is a private museum constructed in 2003. It is built with a mix of Hindu, Buddhist, and Chinese architectural influences. The museum symbolizes the giant three-headed elephant, which is known as Erawan the vehicle of the god Indra. It is said that many valuable antiquities and religious artifacts are housed in this museum.

The main building of the museum is the one topped with the three-headed elephant. It consists of three floors, which represent the Underworld, the Human World, and Heaven. This is one of the most elegant buildings I have ever seen, and I will explain the exterior and interior in separate sections.

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Location

The museum is located in the Mueang Samut Prakan District. Google Maps

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The easiest way to reach the place is via BTS. Simply exit from Chang Erawan Station (E17) on the Sukhumvit Line and walk towards the museum using Google Maps. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the BTS station to the museum. There’s also a paid shuttle service from the museum back to the BTS station for around 20 Baht per person.

We traveled from the Pratunam area. Even though it looks close by taxi, due to heavy traffic in Bangkok, it takes much longer than expected so I recommend using the BTS.

We also visited the Ancient City Museum the same morning, which can be accessed a few BTS stations ahead from Chang Erawan.

The museum ticket counter is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Tickets and Entrance

The ticket price for walk-ins is 500 Baht per adult and 250 Baht for children.

However, since we purchased our tickets through the Klook app, it cost only USD 8.05 per person, which is almost half the walk-in price.
If you visit the Ancient City Museum on the same day, there’s a combined ticket option for just USD 18.55, which is an excellent deal.

At the entrance to the main building, you’re asked to remove your shoes. Visitors wearing short or revealing clothes are not allowed to enter from there.

Beautiful Exterior

The lower part of the main building is cylindrical in shape, decorated with intricate sculptures and detailed carvings around the doors and windows. On top of this structure stands the magnificent three-headed elephant.

Interior

As soon as you enter, you’ll see a staircase leading to the second floor, facing a Buddha statue. From that point, the staircase splits into two sides one white and one pink. The design and carvings of the staircase are incredible; you truly have to see it in person to understand its beauty.

Underworld

The first floor you step into represents the Underworld, though it looks nothing like the traditional image of one. It’s bright, elegant, and richly decorated. The color theme blends pink, white, grey, and gold. From here, you can get an excellent view of the staircase and the upper levels.

Human World

The second floor represents the Human World, which you reach by climbing the staircase. When you look up, you’ll see a stunning stained-glass ceiling depicting a world map painted by a German artist. Every sculpture here is detailed, representing various mythological creatures from different cultures.

Heaven

Heaven is located inside the belly of the elephant, which you can reach either by elevator or a wooden staircase. The atmosphere on this floor made me feel extremely calm. It’s hard to describe that feeling in words. The blue-colored walls, beautifully painted ceiling, and serene Buddha statues filled the space with peace and tranquility.

I was truly impressed by this place and highly recommend adding it to your Bangkok itinerary.

The museum also has facilities such as parking and a restaurant. There’s a beautiful garden with sculptures that we unfortunately missed but is definitely worth exploring.

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