![large bai sema boundary stone with Princess Princess Yasodhara cleaning Lord Buddha's feet with her hair](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/khon-kaen-national-museum-yasodhara-bai-sema-433x650.jpg)
The Khon Kaen National Museum (พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ ขอนแก่น), opened in 1972, has four small but interesting historical galleries with artefacts from around Upper Isan and is worth a look for anyone visiting Khon Kaen. Its most famous object, standing in the center of the Dvaravati wing, is a bai sema boundary stone of the Buddha’s wife, Princess Yasodhara (aka Bimpa Devi) cleaning the Buddha’s feet with her hair that was found at Muang Fa Daet Song Yan in Kalasin province.
The museum’s Prehistoric wing mostly has objects from Ban Chiang while upstairs are smaller sets of Khmer-, Lan Chang-, and Ratanakosin-era items. The Lan Chang collection is mostly small silver and gold embossed Buddhas, many of which were found at Khmer temple ruins since the Lao used many of them after the Khmer were driven out of Thailand. An Isan art and culture gallery plus some more Dvaravati bai sema and a Khmer lintel sit in back, and outside are nearly 200 more stone carvings; mostly Dvaravati bai sema but also a few Khmer pieces. Note that the Khmer objects down by the Fine Arts Department offices east of the museum are all replicas.
![many Khmer stone carvings on display](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/khon-kaen-national-museum-khmer-gallery-650x433.jpg)
As of February 2021, these are all the Khmer artifacts from a known temple ruin on display.
Ku Ban Daeng (กู่บ้านแดง) – Amphoe Wapi Pathum, Maha Sarakham
![lintel with three Bodhisattvas](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ratanatray-mahayana-lintel-ku-ban-daeng-khon-kaen-national-museum-650x433.jpg)
Ku Ban Moei (กู่บ้านเมย) – Amphoe Nong Song Hong, Khon Kaen
![lintel with Indra riding Erawan](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/indra-lintel-ku-ban-moei-khon-kaen-national-museum-650x433.jpg)
![a pair of inscription stones](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/inscriptions-ku-ban-moei-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![four broken pilasters](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pilasters-ku-ban-moei-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Ku Buamat (กู่บัวมาศ) – Amphoe Borabue, Maha Sarakham
![statue of Vishnu](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/vishnu-ku-buamat-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![statue of Bhaisajyaguru](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/bhaisajyaguru-ku-buamat-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Ku Kaew (กู่แก้ว) – Amphoe Mueang, Khon Kaen
![statue of vajrapani riding a garuda](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/vajrapani-garuda-ku-kaew-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![statue of Bhaisajyaguru](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/bhaisajyaguru-ku-kaew-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![statue of buffalo with broken Yama riding it](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/yama-buffalo-ku-kaew-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![four-sided inscription stone with old text](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/inscription-ku-kaew-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Ku Noi (กู่น้อย) – Amphoe Na Dun, Maha Sarakham
![tall statue of Shiva](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/shiva-ku-noi-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![headless statue of Vishnu](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/vishnu-ku-noi-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![statue of Buddha under a naga](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/buddha-naga-ku-noi-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Ku Phanna (กู่พันนา) – Amphoe Sawang Daen Din, Sakon Nakhon
![statue of Yama riding a buffalo](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/yama-buffalo-ku-phanna-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Ku Santarat (กู่สันตรัตน์) – Amphoe Na Dun, Maha Sarakham
![statue of Buddha under a naga](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/buddha-naga-ku-santarat-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Sala Nang Khao (ศาลานางขาว) – Amphoe Na Dun, Maha Sarakham
![head of a deity](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/deity-head-sala-nang-khao-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![head and hands of a deity](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/head-hands-sala-nang-khao-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
![inscription slab with old text](https://www.timsthailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/inscription-sala-nang-khao-khon-kaen-national-museum-433x650.jpg)
Details – 9am-4pm Wed-Sun, 100/20B foreigners/Thais, 043-246170, www.finearts.go.th/khonkaenmuseum.
Location – Lang Soon Rachakarn Rd., Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang, Khon Kaen Province