My rating:
With a history dating back almost 600 years, it's no surprise that Wat Phra Kaew would have accumulated a rich store of artifacts. With the help of two professional curators, the temple has sorted through the material and put the most notable items on a display in a purpose built hall on the south side of the temple grounds.
The ground floor exhibits of the Hongluang Saengkaew Museum
You can take it with you.
Wish you could have this information with you when you visit Chiang Rai? Now you can. Check out our ebook guides.
The warm teakwood building trimmed in carved gold panels is a beautiful piece in itself. Inside are two floors of artifacts, most of which are Buddha statues and other temple fittings. The ground floor exhibits mostly larger items, while upstairs are several cases of smaller things. I especially found the rock crystal reliquaries interesting, on show near the center of the room.
The museum is open every day from 9:00 to 17:00. You must leave your shoes outside, as with any Thai house or temple. There's no admission fee but a donation is requested.