General information
| Destination |
|---|
| Pattaya, Thailand |
Program details
The Museum of Buddhist Art (Nong Prue) is a living encyclopedia of Thai Buddha image art and houses more than 2,900 Buddha images and artifacts. Each artifact has its own unique details and stories before each piece became what it is today. This private exposition of artefacts was collected by just one person over a period of more than 60 years.
Professor Somkiet Lopercharat is the only person in the world who could collect such a collection, and initially it was provided only for private viewing untill advisor of the King reccomended to open museum for the public. The professor listened to the advice, but he went on and made almost impossible for any other person-he donated his entire collection (and it costs insane money) to the Art Conservation Fund, registered all the artifacts as a national treasure, and now the collection is inviolable.
Many of the exhibits presented in the museum are the only ones in the world, some of them are the subject of such an irresistible passion by the Sotheby's and Christie's auction houses that they twice came to Thailand with a request to sell some of them. But, being a national treasure, these sculptures are not subject to sale, despite the cost of more than $100 million
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