Are you planning a trip to Thailand and looking forward to writing the most exciting itinerary? You arrived at the right place! In this article I will be sharing one of Thailand’s most interesting bucket list destinations, named the Black House (Baan Dam or the Black Museum).
I’m sure that after you finish reading this blog post, you are going to be intrigued and at least curious to see with your own eyes the bizarreness that Black House represents.
The Black House or Baan Dam Museum may seem like a very strange place to most people (me including in the beginning), but I will do my best to take you on a detailed virtual tour of this place.
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Are you planning a trip to Northern Thailand?
Be sure to book accommodation and tours in Northern Thailand ahead of time to ensure availability!
Top tours in Northern Thailand:
- From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples Small Group/Private Tour
- Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong, and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour
- Best Seller! Doi Inthanon National Park, Waterfall & Royal Project – Chiang Mai
- Half Day Thai Cooking Course at Farm (Chiang Mai)
- Small-Group Chiang Mai Evening Street Food Tour
- Long Neck Village, Hill Tribes, and Wat Pha Lat Half Day Tour
- Northern Thailand Custom Tour: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, Mae Hong Song, Lampang, Nan by AK Travel
Top picks for places to stay in Northern Thailand (luxurious or on a budget):
- Phor Liang Meun Terracotta Arts – SHA Extra Plus
- El Barrio Lanna- SHA Extra Plus
- Style Paidoi Resort
- Phra Singh Village
- The Countryside Pai
- Mae Sot Commune
- Pai Princess Resort
- Pai Nam Now
Looking for the best way to get around and explore most of Thailand? Then you should go on a train ride! Check out best prices rates here.
Don’t forget for travel insurance, check it out here!
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Black House
The Black House isn’t just one building, but a collection of approx. 40 structures of varying shapes and sizes that spread around in a green and vast garden.
The architecture and style of these buildings is traditional looking, with a somber effect due the color black combined with some elegant embedded golden design details. I find that the doors to most of these structures are art pieces, with beautiful decorations and design carvings.
It was very interesting to walk around these bizarre buildings set in a garden that had relaxing and peaceful vibes. This contrast was fascinating for me, because the museum reminds me of death and the dark part of life, while the garden felt like the representation of life and equilibrium.
I sense that the artist and creator that stands behind this museum, Thawan Duchanee, had a very interesting vision of life and death and religion in general. It is hard to understand what he wanted us to see through his art, but after discussing with our guide and after finding some interesting articles, I understood that nothing was left without reason.
The meaning behind the name Baan Dam
The word “baan” means house and “dam” means black. You will also find this place with the name the “Black Temple”, even if it doesn’t look like one. Maybe the main building does, but only on the outside (in my opinion).
Where is the Black House located and how to get there?
The Black House ( Baan Dam or the Black Museum) is located in Chiang Rai, approximately 11 km north of the city center. There are several ways to reach this unique destination. The most straightforward options are either to have your own transport or take a bus.
If neither of these works for you, booking a tour through a local company in Chiang Rai is a great alternative. In fact, I recommend this option for most travelers, as it allows you to experience the Black House without the stress of planning the logistics yourself.
The best part is that many tours cater to small groups and include convenient pick-up services. Additionally, most tours combine visits to other popular and beautiful destinations in Northern Thailand, such as the White Temple. This way, you can “kill two birds with one stone”—seeing more sights while planning less. It’s the perfect combination if you prefer to avoid spending time figuring out routes and transportation options.
If you’re concerned about the cost of these tours, don’t worry—there are plenty of affordable options. You’re sure to find one that fits both your budget and travel preferences.
Many shared tours combine a visit to the Black House with a trip to the White Temple, another must-see landmark in Northern Thailand. If you want more information about the famous White Temple, be sure to check out this White Temple Travel Guide.
However, if booking a tour isn’t your style, you can always hire a taxi or a tuk-tuk to get there.
If you are interested in private tours, then you should check out my recommendations below:
This tour has amazing reviews and includes many interesting and popular landmarks in Chiang Rai like Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, Long neck Karen Village, the Golden Triangle and of course the Black House or the Black Museum.
If you are looking for a deeper inclusion in the magical land of Northern Thailand, then this tour is a great idea.
With this tour they offer 1 night of accommodation at Laluna Hotel and Resort, breakfast and 2 lunches. You get to explore popular landmarks in Chiang Rai, while no stressing about food or accommodation.
In regards to our visit, the Black House was included in our 5 days private tour that we booked in order to visit the region of Northern Thailand. If you want to check out the company and the tour that we choose, you can check out their page, here.
What to expect while visiting the Black House?
While exploring the land in which the 40 buildings are dispersed, you are going to observe different elements and objects, each having a hidden symbol behind.
The most imposing structure is located close to the main entrance and I feel like this is an introduction for the general theme. While the exterior is elegant, the interior is creepy and very unsettling. Warning: the view inside this building can be disturbing, especially if you are an animal lover.
One of the biggest elements in the interior is a huge table that is covered in snake skins. Among strange items related to animal remains you will find buffalo horns, crocodile skin and other animal horns. The crocodile skin was painted in black and surrounded by many candles. This kind of decor seems creepy and makes you think about death and the ugly part of life.
While doing my research about the Black House I came upon an interesting article, where the author explains the meaning behind all of these strange exhibits. For example, he explains that Thawan wanted to represent the death, old age and sickness that Buddha encountered during his travels. You can check out the whole article, by clicking here.
After you visit the main structure, you can continue with your exploration. The theme that maybe shocked you in the beginning will be very obvious spread with each structure. Expect to see more animal parts, like skins or bones (oh mah, a lot of animal bones) and carved statues.
These ones appear to be grotesque figures, but with characteristics that for sure stands out…huge penises (yep, you read that right! Expect to see a lot of wooden penises). Not to mention the penises scattered everywhere, as pieces of decor, I guess.
At some point I saw large carved penises coming from wooden balls that displayed on a table or other piece of furniture. Maybe Thawan wanted to reflect human desire and sins.
All the decorations, besides the animal exhibits, were carved or sculpted from wood. Some of the door frames have these beautiful design details carved in them. Generally, I love things made of wood and me and my husband have an impressive collection of manually carved wooden statues in our house.
I feel like my home has a touch of nature, or a closeness to the natural elements, which I love. So, I appreciated seeing quality and well done wooden tables, chairs, frames or penises (huh, what?). Just kidding, just kidding.
But, guys, just look at the picture below, this dude has a biiiiig one and a smaller one instead of a finger. Can you see it?! If not, you are most welcomed :)). As I already mentioned in this article, the art represented in the Black House is strange and may I say not child friendly.
When I thought I got a little used to all the creepiness, I was wrong, because there was more. We got to this weird and interesting sort of building that had the shape of a whale. This was the “house” or the bedroom of the artist, that he used to stay in whenever he came to the Black House.
I was so curious to get inside, but it wasn’t open to the public, so we kinda crept on the windows. The inside looked like a home of sorts, but of course, all the craziness followed there too. There was a bed, a shower, and a table, but none of them were ordinary. The photos we took speak for themselves.
Final thoughts
I feel like this place can be interpreted as the guest wishes or feels. I don’t know what the artist wanted to address with his creations. Maybe he wanted to tell a story about human cravings, desires and sins. Maybe he wanted to represent death and the dark part of life.
I feel like this place isn’t for every taste and I think you should do your research before you choose to include it on your itinerary.
Truthfully, I was fascinated by the Black House. Usually, I love colorful places, but I have this weird inclination towards dark and sinister things. I feel like the Black House can be used as horror scenes in a movie. Any additional prompts wouldn’t be necessary.
What are your thoughts regarding this weird museum? Are you intrigued to visit the Black House or inclined to skip it? I’m curious to know your opinion. Before you make a decision remember that having bizarre destinations on your itinerary will make your trip even more exciting and unique.