Old Town · Phuket Town, 98 Krabi Road
Baan Chinpracha
A tin baron's house from 1903, still owned by his descendants and open to visitors.
Access
By road
Entry
Entry fee at the gate
Time to allow
Part of a morning in the Old Town
Best time
In the morning, as hours differ
Why go
To see the inside of the Old Town as the tin families lived in it: a family house, furnished, rather than a facade from the street.
Not for you if old furniture and family photographs leave you cold: it is a house, not an exhibition.
What you will find
Also known as Chinpracha House. Admission is 150 baht for a foreign visitor and 100 baht for a Thai visitor. Next door, at number 96, the governor's mansion is now the Blue Elephant restaurant, seen from the inside only as a diner.
The story
The house was built in 1903 by Phra Pitak Chinpracha (Tan Ma Siang), a tin magnate, and it is still owned by his descendants.
Getting there
On Krabi Road in the Old Town, a few minutes' walk from the Thai Hua Museum. By road from the west-coast beaches; on foot from anywhere in the Old Town.
Before you go
Opening times differ between guides, from 8 am to 4 pm or from 9 am to 4.30 pm, so come in the morning to be safe. It is still a family property, not a public museum.
Common questions
How much does it cost to visit Baan Chinpracha?
150 baht for a foreign visitor and 100 baht for a Thai visitor.
What time does Baan Chinpracha open?
Guides give either 8 am to 4 pm or 9 am to 4.30 pm. Come in the morning to be sure of finding it open.