Description. The Haripunchai national museum in Lamphun was founded in 1927 (2470 BE) by Praya Ratchanakulvibulbhakdi, Governor of Mon-thon Phayap. Today the museum is operated by the Department of Fine Arts. In 1974 (2517 BE) a new building was built at today's place.
The main exhibition is situated in a large hall like room on the upper floor of the building. On the ground floor in the middle of the building a small hall, open to the south, exhibits the inscription stones.
Photographing and filming are forbidden through-out the museum!

The museum shows objects found in the area of Lamphun, the former Haripunchai, capital of the Kingdom Haripunchai.
In the small hall with the inscription stones a total of 35 stones are exhibited. Seven of the stones show Mon inscriptions. On the other 28 stones inscriptions of Lanna origin are found.





The exhibits in the main hall can be divided in-to two groups: the haripunchai group and the Lanna group.
The Haripunchai group is further divided into exhibits which show clear influence of the indian Pala art and the Dvaravati art. The objects displaying Pala influence were created by their artists before the 11^th century AD (17^th century BE). The Dvaravati epoch began around 1050 AD (1600 BE) and lasted until 1293 AD (1836 BE), when the Kingdom of Haripunchai fell to King Mengrai, the ruler of Lanna. Statues and Figurines from this epoch show specific head characteristics such as strong and connected eye brows, downward looking eyes and slightly upward bended eye angles as well as slightly opened smiling lips. Pottery items on display, in various shapes and richly decorated, were mainly used as urns for the ashes of the dead or as water jars as commonly found in the north.
In the Lanna group objects from the 14^th to 19^th century AD (19^th to 25^th century BE) are exhibited. The objects on display in a first sub-group suggest a search for identity by the artists of that time, since the influence of Khmer, Haripunchai and Pala art is still clearly recognizeable. The exhibits found in the se-cond sub-group are made in the typical Lanna style, which merges Sukothai, Ayutthaya and northern characteristics into a whole new and unique style.






The third group of exhibits displays objects which show specific characteristics from Pha-yao with influence from Lanxang in today's Laos. In this group are sculptures and porce-lain from Sankhampaeng, Khalong, Tungtaohai and Pan on display. Art items such as flowers, elephants and horses made form gold and silver, which most likely were donations to monks, are found in the fourth group of the exhibits. Those objects were created during the same period as Bangkok's Rattanakhosin art was developed in the late 18^th century AD (24^th century BE). The more the north was influenced by Bangkok, the more also the northern art works became influenced by the Rattanakhosin style.

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Address and Phone/Fax. Haripunchai National Museum, Inthayongyot Road, Amphoe Muang, 51000 Lamphun/Thailand                 +66 (0)53 511'186,  +66 (0)53 530'536,  none.

Opening Hours. The Haripunchai National Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday 09:00 am until 04:00 pm. On Monday, Tuesday and National Holidays closed.

Admission Fees. There is a small admission fee of Baht 30 for Foreigners and Baht 10 for Thais, which is well worth spending.

Parking your vehicle. There is sufficient parking space provided on the premises of the museum along Makda Road. Just drive through the gate at Inthayongyot Road onto the museum's grounds and turn left accross the ramp to the main entrance a bit further to the parking lots south of the building. The premises are fenced.

Getting there. The Haripunchai National Museum is best visited together with the other sightseeing attractions of Lamphun by a half to a full day trip from Chiang Mai.

Public Transport. The blue local busses leave Chang Phuak Bus Station (Tel: 053 / 211 568) in Chiang Mai every ten to fiveteen minutes for Lamphun. It is a ride of approximately one hour. The busses can also being catched at the begin of the "Chiang Mai - Lamphun Road". In Lamphun the busses stop at the rear entrance to Wat Phra That Haripunchai opposite the national museum.
Lamphun may also be reached by train from Chiang Mai Railway Station (Tel: 053 / 242 094). The ride takes about 25 minutes. Trains leave Chiang Mai at 06:25, 07:35 and 08:35 arriving at Lamphun at 06:50, 08:06 and 08:57 (it is highly recommended to inquire at the railway station whether and when trains will leave before a train journey). The national museum is located in about two kilometre's distance from the railway station. The center of Lamphun is easily reached by samlor. At 14:24 and 18:51 trains leave Lamphun for Chiang Mai arriving at 14:50 and 19:10.
From "New Bridge", the black iron bridge just opposite the office of the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT), blue Songthaews leave for Lamphun and will drop you right at the national museum.

Personal Transport. By car, motorcycle or motorscooter the Haripunchai National Museum is best reached on the "Chiang Mai Lamphun Road" (Route 106)", which begins on the eastern bank of the Pingriver at Nawarat Bridge. A description of this approach is found under "Excursion to Lamphun".
Utopia-Tours offers an afternoon trip to Lamphun, called "Lamphun Afternoon" by private car and accompanied by a local gay guide during which also the national museum will be visited.

Transport in Lamphun. Samlor drivers will take you to all attractions in and around Lam-phun. Wat Yeun and Wat Chama Thewi lie only about one kilometre outside of the old city walls. Who does not mind spending the time and the effort, can - once in Lamphun - visit all the sightseeing spots on foot.