Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre

Utilized until recently as Chiang Mai’s City Hall, the center was renovated and re-opened in 1997 as a cultural center and museum. Fronted by a large square that contains the Three Kings Monument, a bronze depicting the founder of the city, King Mengrai, and the kings of Sukothai and Phayao, the Cultural Centre sits exactly in the center of the square, at the ‘navel of the city’.

On the south side of the square is the restored 13th century Chedi of the City Navel, home to the ancient Inthakin City Pillar before it was moved to Wat Chedi Luang.

The Arts and Cultural Centre is now a modern multi-media equipped venue facilitating education in the north’s traditions, culture and history, with guides trained in the use of English to explain the complexities of this historic region.

Separate areas document the region’s development from its earliest occupation in pre-history and include the many regional and ethnic cultures, Buddhism and other local beliefs through the ages, the Burmese wars and the various Lanna royal dynasties.

Other fascinating aspects of the center include scale models of the city and its life-giving Ping River as it was 100 years ago, life-sized models of a traditional Lanna house, a northern Thai market and Thai and Chinese merchants’ shops. The central reception room on the second floor houses exhibitions from time to time on other aspects of northern life and is famous for its onetime use as a bedroom by King Rama VI.