Bangkok Seashell Museum Mollusk madness
Do you remember those walks on the beach as a kid? Remember picking up those colorful shells, or maybe stepping on one of the sharp ones? Are you curious to know what those shells were and where they came from? Head over to the seashell museum on Silom to learn more.
Bangkok Seashell Museum is located on Silom Road next to Soi Silom 23, opposite Lerdsin Hospital. The museum was established by seashell collector and 2-time winner of Thai TV game show “Faen Phan Thae – Real Fans” Mr.Somwang Patthamakhanthin, and gems and jewelry storeowner Ms. Oraphin Sirirat, with the intention of making this museum a new attraction as well as a center for learning about seashells in Bangkok.
The museum features beautiful collections of shells from the seven seas, but focuses a lot on shells found in the kingdom. The museum’s fascinating collection of over 600 species provides lots of useful information and insight into shellfish. Get a closer look at these colorful marvels of the world beneath. Cowries, conches, cockles, clams, cones, and scallops, these are just a few of the seashells you’ll get to see.
The 3-story building is not hard to find; it has a giant seashell on it. The first floor is a collection of large-sized seashells such as the Giant Clam, the world’s largest species of bivalves (mollusks that contain a two-part shell). A Giant Clam can weight as much as 300 kilograms, and have been known to live in shallow depths of only two to 20-meters! Take a look at the colorful urchin shells on this floor as well.
The second floor is a collection of many small and medium-sized seashells. The two most prominent exhibits are the conch shells and the Nautilus Pompilius (or ‘Chambered Nautilus’). The Nautilus display exhibits the shelfish in various sizes, as well as a bisection that reveals the lustrous inner nacre layer. The conch shells are symbolic in Buddhist and Hindu beliefs and thus have their own exhibit. You will find various conch shells here.
The third and final floor exhibits rare seashells such as those from the Trochidae family, common name ‘top snail’ because of the cone shape and flat base similar to an old-fashioned top. Take a look at shells from the Conidae family that can shoot poisonous darts at prey to paralyze or kill them (humans included). The third floor also has a collection of artworks offered to the museum by one of the members of the royal family.
You can probably spend a solid two hours roaming around the museum admiring the colors and patterns on the 600 species of shellfish on display at the Bangkok Seashell Museum. Learn more about these aquatic creatures which despite their attracting appearance can actually be serious sea-killers. Visit the store for a souvenir to take home.
