The National Museum of Ban Kao was established in 1965 to collect, preserve, and exhibit prehistoric artifacts obtained from archaeological excavations at the Ban Kao archaeological site and other sites in Kanchanaburi Province. The museum's origins trace back to the findings of H.R. Van Heekeren, a Dutch archaeologist who was captured as a prisoner of war during World War II. While forced to work on the Death Railway in Thailand, he discovered chipped stone tools and polished stone axes near Ban Kao, Kanchanaburi. After the war, he brought these findings to the Peabody Museum in the United States for further study. This led to the first archaeological explorations conducted by both Thai and international archaeologists in the Ban Kao area in 1956. Between 1960 and 1962, a prehistoric exploration project funded by a cooperative archaeological effort between Thailand and Denmark took place at the Ban Kao site, specifically on the land of Mr. Lue and Mr. Bang near the Khwae Noi River. A wealth of prehistoric artifacts was discovered, prompting the Fine Arts Department to establish the National Museum of Ban Kao on the excavation site. Inside the museum, the exhibitions are organized as follows: - **Exhibition Room 1**: This room showcases the history of Kanchanaburi, its geographical features, geology, forests, and natural resources. - **Exhibition Room 2**: Here, visitors can view prehistoric artifacts unearthed during excavations at sites such as Ban Kao, including significant items like tripod pots, urn-shaped vessels, stone tools, beads, and prehistoric human remains. - **Exhibition Room 3**: This section features wooden coffins discovered during archaeological work in caves and along the banks of the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers. These coffins, made from large logs with diameters of 60-80 cm and lengths of 250-300 cm, were hollowed out and likely used for housing human skeletons and ceremonial objects. The head and foot ends often exhibit designs resembling human or animal heads. Such wooden coffins have also been found in places like Mae Hong Son and overseas in China, Myanmar, and Malaysia. - **Exhibition Room 4**: This room displays artifacts retrieved from archaeological investigations in Kanchanaburi, dating from the prehistoric period through the Metal Age. Notable sites include Ban Don Noi in Bo Phloi District and Ban Don Taphat in Phanom Thuan District. - **Exhibition Room 5**: This exhibition depicts the lifestyle of humans in both hunter-gatherer and agricultural societies, illustrating the social evolution of prehistoric humans. Displayed artifacts include significant finds like a lion-shaped pendant, stone beads, and a bronze sculpture of a chicken from the Ban Don Taphat archaeological site, alongside an image of a bronze Roman lamp discovered at the Phong Tuk archaeological site. - **Exhibition Room 6**: This room features photographs documenting archaeological activities and showcases important artifacts uncovered during the restoration and excavation of the Singha Fort from 1974 to 1987. These include sculptures of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, depictions of various ethnic figures, earthenware, bronze vessels, a stone grinding platform, and architectural fragments. Overall, the National Museum of Ban Kao offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich prehistoric history of the Kanchanaburi region and should not be missed by visitors interested in archaeology and cultural heritage.