Somdet Phra Narai National Museum

Somdet Phra Narai National Museum is located within King Narai's Palace in Tha Hin, Mueang Lopburi, Lopburi Province, Thailand. Housed in the restored 17th-century palace of King Narai the Great, it is the main museum for Lopburi Province. It exhibits archaeological and art historical collections from prehistoric, Dvaravati, Khmer Lopburi, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, illustrating the region's long history and Lopburi's role as a second capital of Ayutthaya.

Visitors can explore the walled compound of King Narai's Palace with its European-influenced architecture, courtyards and historic buildings. Inside, exhibition halls such as Phiman Mongkut Pavilion and Chanthara Phisan Hall display stone tools, Dvaravati and Lopburi-style Buddha images, Khmer sculptures, ceramics, and Ayutthaya-period artifacts. The setting combines palace ruins, restored halls, and landscaped grounds with informative displays on Lopburi's archaeology and history.

The museum is housed in Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, the palace built in 1666 by King Narai the Great of Ayutthaya with assistance from French and Italian engineers. It served as his second capital and venue for receiving foreign envoys. Abandoned after his reign, it was restored in 1856 by King Mongkut (Rama IV) who built the Phiman Mongkut Pavilion. In 1924 King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) established the Lopburi Museum here, later designated Somdet Phra Narai National Museum under the Fine Arts Department.

The museum is the principal center for preserving and interpreting Lopburi's cultural heritage, showcasing the Lopburi art style that developed from Khmer influence. It illustrates the continuity of cultures in the Lopburi region from prehistory through Dvaravati, Khmer, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods and highlights Lopburi's historical importance as a major city of central Thailand.