THE ERAWAN MUSEUM: THE COSMOGRAPHY OF THE EAST

Located a bit outside of Bangkok, the Erawan Museum has several objectives: to continue the traditions of Thai arts and crafts so they can be passed down to younger generations; to provide a safe place where Buddha images can be housed and cared for so as to prevent their loss to other countries and to create an architectural environment which is symbolic of the cosmography of the East.

Despite all that, most people around here know it as the largest statue of a three-headed elephant in the world.


Standing 29 meters high (or 43.60 meters if the base is included), the museum is an impressive site. The grounds around it are similar to many wats and temples around town, with various statues, including one where you can apply gold leaf to it and make an offering.

There are also several bells and gongs that you are encouraged to ring (which is good when you visit a place like this with kids because they are going to try to ring them no matter how many times you ask them not to). Apparently this is one of the noisiest ways to make a spiritual offering known to man.


The basement of the Museum represents the Underworld (or Naga World). This is the place where antiques and artifacts are stored. I found it interesting that they are supposedly here to be protected from relocation to other countries, because some of them were from places like China and Cambodia. A bit of a double standard perhaps?

Pictures were not allowed, but I managed to snap off a few before the security guards started hollering at me.

Inside the base of the Museum (which represents the Hall or Human World) are more antiquities many of which depict religious stories and promote world peace.

From there, you can take a staircase found in one of the elephant's hind legs that leads to its belly. This is representative of Tavatimsa Heaven and contains more Buddha images (still no pictures allowed so shhhhhhh).

The walls and ceiling are covered with a mural that depicts the solar system.

Back on the outside is a lush botanical garden and a pond with a chance to feed some fish. After extreme bell ringing, this is another activity that kids go wild for.

The Erawan Museum was a pretty interesting place to visit if you like unique sites. Honestly, where else can you go and walk inside the belly of giant three-headed elephant?