PLANNING OF A STORAGE SPACE IN RUAM SAMAI MUSEUM, CHIANGMAI, THAILANDConcept for furnishing a suitable storage to protect and preserve works of art

Abstract

Planning of A Storage Space in Ruam Samai Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Concept for furnishing a suitable storage to protect and preserve works of art

The Ruam Samai Museum, an upcoming museum project scheduled for 2026, emerges from the privately owned collection of the Angsuvarnsiri family in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Angsuvarnsiri family's extensive collection of antiques, artworks, and their burgeoning interest in contemporary art have motivated them to exhibit their private collection to the public. The collection primarily focuses on antique Buddha statues originating from Southeast Asia and China, accompanied by modern Thai paintings and international contemporary art. With a vast assemblage of over 6,000 objects, the collection encompasses a diverse range of materials, including ceramics, wood, paper, textiles, ivory, metal, plastic, and media art. Currently, the collection is housed in a temporary storage in Bangkok, with plans to relocate to a new storage building in Chiang Mai by 2024.

This thesis recommends an appropriate guideline for the new storage facility. It is critical to categorize the artifacts and identify the volume of the collection based on collection analysis and collection survey to establish the necessary storage space, construction as well as furniture requirements. The materials to be used for the storage furniture must be considered since they might contribute to the deterioration of the artifacts, and it is critical to evaluate the possible chemical reactions with sensitive objects before selecting the materials to use. Metal and wood are currently the primary materials for furniture in Thailand, and there are no companies in the country that specialize in museum furniture production. Large format artworks storage provides a difficulty in terms of space and proper depository, so the focus of this thesis will be on the right planning of furniture and systems for storing these artworks.

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