The Erawan Museum is very unique because it is located inside of a gigantic bronze elephant that has three heads. This majestic structure is very popular with tourists and is located in Samut Prakan, Thailand. There are different sections inside the huge elephant museum. Each section is decorated with beautiful stained glass, and many Thai sculptures.
The Structure
Khun Lek Viriyapant designed and created the museum. He wanted a place that would preserve his private collection of Thai antiquities. It took about ten years to complete most of the construction of the Erawan Museum. The elephant symbolizes the mythological pachyderm Airavata, which is also referred to as “Erawan” in the Thai language. Airavata is regarded as the vehicle of God in Hindu mythology.
Beautiful Features
This structure has a round pink pedestal base that is covered with millions of small Thai Benjarong ceramic tiles. The body of the elephant is about 95 feet high. The total height of the building is about 144 feet. Another charming feature this museum has is its curved walls and ceiling which are hand-painted with beautiful patterns. Inside, the elephant structure is wonderfully transformed into a depiction of the cosmos.
The museum has three separate floors that have a special significance. Each floor is designed to represent the worlds of the Hindu-Thai Buddhist notion of Tribhumi. The lower part of the pedestal displays the oldest Thai artifacts. The second level includes many ancient Buddha idol statues, as well as several other antique objects. The picturesque gardens can be seen from inside the lower level of the museum. Walls are decorated with blue and gold colors that give the museum a very ethereal appearance.
This unusual museum has a large beautiful garden that surrounds it. The garden has several fountains and ponds that have very distinctive designs. It also features small figurines that add interest to the garden. There is an elevator inside the museum for people who are unable to use stairs. To get to the building tourists can take one of the many buses that frequently pass by the Erawan Museum.
