This museum was established in 1923 near the royal palace (known as PhraNaraiRatchaniwet) as a collection of exhibition halls. Currently, three historical buildings serve as museums to display a variety of objets d’art, including an impressive collection of Lop Buri-style sculptures and Khmer, Dvaravati, U-Thong and Ayutthaya artwork. Shadow puppetry exhibits are also on display, along with a variety of other art genres. There is a particular focus on the arts and lifetyle of Thailand’s central region in several of the exhibits. Another exhibit is dedicated to the life and accomplishments of King Rama IV.