Thailand’s vintage collectables find a home at House of Museums 2

Do you remember childhood items like misshapen dolls, your mum’s bicycle, old magazines, your grandma’s radio and so much more?

These treasures, though outdated, remain etched in our memories, and those wanting a trip into the past can now find them at the House of Museums 2 in Nakhon Pathom’s Nakhon Chaisi district.

Opened in August this year, the museum is a labour of love, built from scratch by Anek Nawigamune, who was named National Artist in 2020 for writing, and his wife Wanna.

The couple, along with a dedicated team of volunteers, also built the first House of Museums in Bangkok. Covering three shophouses on a 58-square-wah (232-square-metre), this museum was opened in 2001 in Bangkok’s Thawi Wattana district.

Like the first museum, the one in Nakhon Pathom also features a wide array of vintage items, from out-of-print magazines like Darunee, Bangkok, Kai Hua Ror and Sakulthai, to models of an old pharmacy, coffee shop, barber, dental clinic and even a mom-and-pop store to name a few.

Though originally designed at a large scale by the Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts, Anek and Wanna had to scale things down due to high costs. They relied on donations, loans and help from their team and volunteers to create a more community-focused site.

“Just before the museum opened, someone brought us an old bicycle,” Wanna said. “He said his wife wouldn’t allow him to keep 18 bikes at home. He had been collecting them for years and didn’t want to sell them. We accepted it because it had the old Raleigh badge [one of the world’s oldest bicycle brands from Nottingham, England, dating back to King Rama V’s era].”
 
Timeless treasures

The donations and pieces personally collected by Anek, like bottles of long-gone aerated drinks like Bireley’s and Kickapoo, were carefully sorted by the team before being displayed in themed sections.

“When we were putting together a replica of a pharmacy at the House of Museums 2, we realised we did not have a proper shop sign. So we considered making one, but then someone from Ratchaburi brought us a blue sign that perfectly matched the cabinets. These little joys made our dreams come true,” Wanna said.

“We’ve been able to do this thanks to support from friends and people who value old items and donate them. We’ve never received government funding, and while some people donated funds towards building the museum, it wasn’t much.

“Many learned about our collection and donated pieces left behind by their grandparents. We never discard items unless they are broken. Last month, someone gave us 15 boxes of old dishes and asked us to sell them to fund our work.”

The main building, which also houses the ticket office, features exhibits like a dental clinic and grocery store. However, it is a striking red flag with a white elephant emblem that takes centre stage. This prized piece was donated by the descendants of a noble household. There is also a valuable collection of old stamps.
As Wanna says, many of the items on display are irreplaceable and cannot be appraised in monetary terms.
“Take a candy tin for example – who would’ve thought it could be worth so much?”
 
Lessons in history

The purpose of the House of Museums 2 is to serve as a learning space for all generations, emphasising the significance of these objects and the cherished memories they evoke.

This mission resonates with Anek, who has documented stories of disappearing traditions in many books.

“Books began being sold in Thailand with the arrival of American missionaries like Dan Bradley, who opened the country’s first printing press. It published the Thai-language Bangkok Recorder in 1844.

“Did the lime soda of that era taste the same as the ‘lemonade’ of this time? While evidence remains elusive, there were early aerated drinks with flavours like lime sold in bottles sealed with marble stoppers instead of caps,” Anek said.

Records show that Fraser & Neave and the Dusit Soda Water Factory played a key role in the aerated drinks industry during King Rama V’s reign.

Visitors to the House of Museums 2 will find many of these discontinued soda brands and even old wind-up toys on display.

There is also a replica of an old photography studio displaying long-forgotten camera brands. The first daguerreotype camera was brought to Thailand by French Roman Catholic missionary Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix in the 1840s and some of the best-known images of that time were those taken by French photographer Abbé Larnaudie.
 
What lies ahead

When asked about the future of both museums after them, Wanna expressed hope that younger generations would take over.

“I hope someone continues this. Our children understand the value of what we do, but they believe they do not have the capacity or the supportive network we have had. The world of today’s youth is very different – they’re urban professionals without the close-knit communities built in rural areas,” said Wanna.  

The House of Museums 2 is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm.

Pom Yam