Thailand's rich and exotic heritage has left a legacy of outstanding cultural and historical sites, providing fascinating stories that live on through the country's museums.

Thailand's museums plan an important role in attracting both domestic and international tourists. Through a variety of displays and levels of investment, they serve to develop connections from different generations and cultures.

Tourism, which now raises a tide of awareness on the preservation of identity and culture, has led to an increase in museum sites. In Bangkok alone, there are now 26 local museums that come under the control of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). At the national level, 44 museums are administered by the Fine Arts Department.

There are no other records regarding the number of museums run by other state agencies, the private sector, local communities, and various ethnic groups that feature exhibits such as banknotes, boats, craft works, dolls, stamps and textiles.

Museums don't just attract visitors seeking cultural, educational, or recreational experiences - some people are also interested in museum practices at a more academic and technical level.

Dr Andrew Simpson, a museums education officer from Macquarie University's Division of Environmental and Life Sciences in Sydney, Australia, led a group of 15 undergraduates, graduates, and fellow lecturers on a visit to Thailand's cultural and historical sites earlier this year as part of the coursework on a special seminar on Museum Field Studies.

Simpson has organized field trips to the kingdom for four consecutive years now, and among the destinations the group visited were historical parks and museums in Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Phuket, and Sukhothai. In Bangkok, they visited Jim Thompson's House, the National Museum, and Suan Pakkard Palace.

Simpson kindly agreed to share his opinions or the role of museums and museum practices with ThaiAsiaToday.com.

ThaiAsiaToday.com (TAT): Why did the university decide to include a trip to Thailand as part of the curriculum?

Dr Andrew Simpson (AS): Thailand boasts a historical and cultural diversity that students will not have experienced in Australia, so introducing students to Thai museums gives students an insight into different ways of life, different cultures, and different ways of communicating about a society.

It's open to their ideas on how complex and diverse the world is. People can't effectively learn about a culture from books or the internet. There's really nothing more engaging than experiencing the exhibits in the museum directly.

TAT: Why are museums so focused on supporting education and tourism?

AS: It's through museums that people from all different cultures can interpret other cultures and the natural world. Through museums, visitors can describe their experiences on a personal level. Museums are fundamental to education since they are essentially all about human experiences. Museums provide a second tier of education, which sits behind state-run educational institutions.

In terms of tourism, when someone wants to learn about the culture or natural heritage of the place, a museum should be the first port of call since they provide an insight into human experiences.

TAT: So what makes a good museum?

AS: Museums should explain good and bad aspects of human experiences in all sorts of different places. Museums should challenge visitors to think more deeply and encourage visitors to explore some questions about what it is like to live in such a culture in greater depth.

Museums are a creative entity. Museum professionals need to explore different techniques to communicate information so that visitors think carefully about the material being presented to them. A good museum is always trying out new exhibitions and looking for new ways to refine its messages. A museum should not be just a warehouse, where the same items are on display the whole time.