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“Sirindhorn Museum Dinosaur remains over 130 million years old”

Sirindhorn Museum Is located at Phu Kum Khao, Tambon Non Buri. In 1970, Phrakhru Wichit Sahatsakhun, Abbot of Wat Sakkawan, discovered large-sized bones in the temple’s compound. At that time, he did not know that they were dinosaur fossils, so he kept them at the temple. Then, in 1978, Mr. Varavudh Suteethorn and a group of geologists from the Department of Mineral Resources surveyed the area and declared that they were dinosaur fossils. In 1980, a Thai-French Geological Survey Group took the bones for further study, and found out that they were the fossils of a Sauropod. Then, in 1994, through a systematic excavation and preservation, numerous dinosaur fossils were found in the rock of the Sao Khrua Formation, assumed to date back to the early Cretaceous Period, or around 130 million years ago.

More than 700 fossilised pieces of bones were found in this excavation site, and they were assumed to belong to at least seven dinosaurs. The most complete dinosaur fossils belonged to Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae, discovered in situ in a lying condition, its spine erected, with ribs on both sides of the body, hip bones in the original position, tail bones arranged in a circle towards the middle of its back until the end of the tail. However, the hind leg, right front leg, neck, and head wes scattered.

After that major discovery, the Department of Mineral Resources built a roofed structure to cover the excavation site as a learning and academic resource for Thai palaeontology. It led to the construction of the Phu Kum Khao Dinosaur museum, which was completed in 2006. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously granted the name “Sirindhorn” as the name of the Museum on 12 October, 2006.

The Phu Kum Khao Dinosaur Museum was then renamed ‘Sirindhorn Museum’ and officially opened on 9 December, 2008. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over the opening ceremony.

Inside the building, the exhibition is divided into 8 zones; including Zone 1: The Origin of the Earth and Universe, Zone 2: The Origin of the Living Things, Zone 3: The Paleozoic Era, Zone 4: The Mesozoic Era (Thai Dinosaurs), Zone 5: Dinosaurs in Thailand, Zone 6: Bring Life to Dinosaurs, Zone 7: The Cenozoic Era, and Zone 8: Human Beings. Visitors can also visit the excavation site where the first fossils were excavated in the Phu Kum Khao area.

Sirindhorn Museum is open from Tuesday - Sunday (closed on Mondays) between 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Admission fee is 100 Baht for adults, 50 Baht for children aged 12 and above, and free of charge for children under 12 years old. For more information, please contact Tel. 0 4387 1014