Phuket Thaihua Museum

Phuket Town


Founded in 1934 and formerly a Chinese-language school, this flashy museum is filled with photos, videos and English-language exhibits on Phuket’s history, from the Chinese migration (many influential Phuketian families are of Chinese origin), the tin-mining era and the Vegetarian Festival to local cuisine, fashion and literature. The building itself is a stunning combination of Chinese and European architectural styles, including art deco, Palladianism and a Chinese gable roof and stucco, plus a British-iron gate.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Phuket Town attractions

1. Chinpracha House

0.1 MILES

Built in 1903 with tin-mining riches, this beautifully preserved Sino-Portuguese mansion should make any antique- or architecture-lover's must-visit list…

2. Shrine of the Serene Light

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A handful of Chinese temples pump colour into Phuket Town, but this restored shrine, tucked away up a 50m alley now adorned with modern murals, is…

3. Hai Lam Shrine

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A crimson-coloured Sino-Portuguese facade with bright-yellow flourishes, at the heart of old Phuket Town, gives way to this quiet Chinese shrine.

4. Wat Mongkhon Nimit

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Just beyond the northern end of beautiful Soi Romanee, Phuket Town's working main Buddhist temple is over 85 years old and is one of the island's four…

5. Soi Romanee

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Branching off Th Thalang, in the heart of the Old Town, this small, vibrant street flaunts some of Phuket's most gorgeously revamped Sino-Portuguese…

6. Jui Tui Shrine

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One of the island's most important Chinese shrines, this red-washed, elevated complex is dedicated to Tean Hu Huan Soy, god of performers and dancers. It…

7. Thavorn Hotel

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Opened in 1961 by the tin-mining Chinese-Thai Thavorn Wong Wongse family, the Thavorn was Phuket's original five-star hotel. It's one of the oldest hotels…

8. Standard Chartered Bank

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Thailand's sun-yellow oldest foreign bank is a fine example of Phuket Town's historic Sino-Portuguese architecture. Though you can admire the restored…