As a solo traveler, I often gravitate toward museums, night markets, and shopping malls. During my trip to Thailand, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) was my first stop at a museum. It delivered exactly what I hoped for: a wide array of artworks and dynamic cultural exhibitions.
BACC opened in July 2008 as a government project. It had its share of delays, but the aim remained clear: to become a hub for cultural exchange. If you’re an art enthusiast planning a visit, here’s what to expect.
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How to Go to the Bangkok Art and Culture Center
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is located at 939 Rama I Road, Khwaeng Wang Mai, Khet Pathum Wan, Thailand. The nearest BTS station is National Stadium on the Silom Line.
During my visit, I had to transfer to another MRT line once from my starting point. Good thing Bangkok’s transport network is easy to navigate. After I exited the BTS station, the BACC was on my left. If you head the opposite way, you’ll reach the MBK Shopping Center. The center is also accessible by bus, taxi, or express boat, with the Saphan Hua Chang Pier serving as the nearest ferry terminal.
Find the Bangkok Art and Culture Center
The Art and Culture Center Experience
Bangkok Art and Culture Center Building
The building’s design was contemporary and circular. It has nine floors of oil paintings, drawings, handicrafts, souvenirs, photographs, musical instruments, locally designed merchandise, and other forms of artworks.
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The train station entrance led me to the fourth floor, which displayed paintings of various sizes. On my way to the seventh floor, a guard asked me to deposit my belongings in the sixth-floor locker room. In level 6, there is an information desk that gives out brochures about the center and its exhibits. I paid the security deposit of 100 Baht and got my locker key. Visitors are allowed to document their experience, so I brought my phone and camera and left the rest in my locker.
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“Crossing the Dateline”
The upper-level art exhibition was entitled “Crossing the Dateline” which ran for a little over four months. There’s an exhibition by a group of Thai and international artists who met during their residency in Vermont, USA. “Crossing the Dateline” was described as “to interpret the act of crossing, whether to cross the boundary of time, relationship, and culture” through various media to “invite the viewer to enrich their interpretation and understanding of time that relies on perception and realities that depend on social changes.” It showed numerous photographs, paintings in different media and sizes, and an assortment of framed objects.
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“What is Not Visible is Not Invisible”
After an hour exploring the upper floors, I got my belongings back and headed down to the fifth floor. It hosted an exhibit entitled “What is Not Visible is Not Invisible”. I went through the entrance that led to a huge, dark room with several smaller sections covered by black curtains. The exhibition had various videos and lights showing different patterns. I thought it was an interesting display, but it would’ve been great if there had been more to show.
Bangkok Art and Culture Center Exhibit: “Gloomy Mind”
The second and third floors consist of some coffee shops and snack bars. There’s also a music school that sells musical instruments. There were also stores of local merchandise, toys, handicrafts, and smaller art exhibits. A smaller exhibit entitled “Gloomy Mind” got my attention. It is all about the artist’s expression of negative things in life, illnesses, and dysfunctions, whether physical or mental. The display featured mostly oil paintings in the theme of black and red. Though interesting, the theme was too lonely and dark for me. In one of the stalls in the lobby, a caricature artist offers to paint some visitors’ face with a fee.
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“Basketry Exhibit”
I went down to the ground floor to check out the Basketry Exhibit. Baskets, fashionable bags, and hats in various designs made with local materials were on full display. There was also a conference hall that was usually used for various events held in the Arts Center.
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Final Thoughts
I truly enjoyed my time at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center. Its location is incredibly convenient, just steps from the nearby train station. The building’s thoughtful design accommodates a diverse range of exhibitions, all accessible at once for free. Food and drinks are readily available for visitors who wish to take a break after exploring the nine floors of artistic displays. Considering all these factors and my overall experience, BACC is a great museum and a must-visit for local and international tourists.
Note: This article was updated to include photos of our BACC tour last August 2018.
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