Udon Thani boasts a historical find in the Ban Chiang archeological site. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Ban Chiang, Udon Thani Thailand, has given scientists an inside look into an ancient civilization like very few other places on earth.
Pottery found in the Ban Chiang area is the main attraction at this museum and archeological site. The pottery was typically broken and placed into a gravesite along with a person, giving insight into ancient burial rituals as well as the unique pottery-making practices of these ancient settlements.
History of Ban Chiang / Becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The museum gives an account of three different periods that the Ban Chiang excavation site represents, with the earliest period being up to 5,000 years ago. When the first artifacts were found and seen to be ancient, this led to extensive archeological digs in the area during the 1970’s-1980’s by both Thai and international archeologists. The area was made into a UNESCO world heritage site in 1992. The beauty of the preservation that the UNESCO title gives is the ability for people to come and visit and see a piece of history preserved.
Location of Ban Chiang
The town of Ban Chiang is in Udon Thani province and is easily accessible by car from the city of Udon Thani. Udon Thani has an airport with many flights each day arriving from Bangkok, both Don Mueang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport.
It is a 45-minute drive through beautiful countryside, with views of rice fields and sugar cane fields along the side of the road between little rural villages.
You know you have entered Ban Chiang as the pottery symbol will be everywhere! Throughout the city you will see lamp posts decorated with pots. Signs around town have pots on them, and there are stalls selling the quintessential Ban Chiang pot for the tourist to buy along the road.
When you visit, you will want to go to both the museum and the excavation site. I recommend visiting the museum to learn the history first, before going to view the dig (although there are information boards there as well with more historical context.)
Parking
Parking for the Bang Chiang Museum is 100 meters beyond the museum entrance. There is a sign with an arrow in front of the museum entrance and you will see the parking lot on the side of the road. There are also some shops next to the parking lot. To buy tickets and enter the museum, you will need to walk back the 100 meters to the entrance of the museum.
Tickets
Ban Chiang has a dual pricing system, meaning Thai citizens have a cheaper price and foreigners have to pay more. For foreigners, you will pay 150 baht per person. This price will include admission to both the museum (Ban Chiang Museum) and the excavation site (Wat Pho Sri Nai Archaeological Excavation Pit). You will be able to buy tickets at the small building on the road which acts as the entrance to the museum complex.
Open Hours
Bang Chiang National Museum is open:
Open: Wednesday – Sunday
Closed: Mondays – Tuesdays.
The stated hours are 9 AM-4 PM, but I recommend getting there in the morning or early afternoon.
I also recommend picking up a brochure in English before entering as this will guide you to what you will find in every room.
Navigating with kids
The museum has many different pieces of pottery from all three periods of time. I would focus on the displays that inform kids of what the pottery was used for and what the archeologists have learned from their excavations. Please be aware that the pottery was used in burials, so there are exhibits showing skeletons.
I recommend Gallery 6 to walk through more thoroughly with your children as this gallery shows different aspects of the culture of the ancient people of Ban Chiang and can lead to good conversation about the difference between past and present times.
Upstairs in the museum, there is a replica of the Ban Chiang excavation site showing exactly what the archeologists work place would have looked like as they worked daily on the dig and extracting artifacts. There are several small games for kids to play in the area as well.
Wat Pho Sri Nai Archaelogical Excavation Pit
The other part of your entrance fee to the Ban Chiang National Museum includes the excavation pit, which is further down the road from the museum. This is a short visit, but to give kids an understanding of what the archaelogical dig was like, I recommend not skipping this building.
*Family tip: Same as the museum, there are skeleton bones in the dig site due to the place being a burial site. It may be good if you have squeamish children to alert them ahead of time.
Ban Chiang Town
Dining
Ban Chiang is like many small towns in the Isaac region of Thailand. There are many little cafes that sell coffee and some desserts and snacks. For a full meal, look for open air restaurants on street corners selling local Isaan dishes. There is also a local 7-11 to buy snacks. If you want ideas of meals you can eat from 7-11 in Thailand, check out our post here.
Shopping
There are several stalls open around the area of the museum with souvenir pots and other pottery and Thai souvenirs.
Temple Visit
If you follow the road out of town about 20 minutes to the north, you will come to the unique White Lotus Temple (Wat Santi Wanaram). This temple is shaped like a white lotus and is sitting out on a lake. There are gardens around the entrance and stalls selling snacks and water. If you want to see a unique temple and you have the time after visiting Ban Chiang, I would recommend it.
Around Udon Thani Province
There is one other UNESCO World Heritage site in Udon Thani province that was just inducted in 2024. That is the Phu Phrabat Historical Park. Read about how to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site here. This site is also excellent in early settlements of the region and boasts some unique rock dwellings and cave paintings.
If you would like to visit both while on a trip to Udon Thani, I recommend staying inside the city of Udon Thani and doing day trips out to both Phu Phrabat Historical Park and Ban Chiang National Museum. Our post about 6 Things to Do in Udon Thani can help plan your trip to Udon Thani. The UNESCO World Heritage sites are 2 hours apart with Ban Chiang to the east and Phu Phrabat to the northwest of Udon Thani city.