Ratchaburi lies in the fertile lower Maeklong River Basin. The early inhavitants there suffered many trials but by the prehistoric period they had begun to develop an agricultural economy from which towns and ultimately the city of Ratchaburi grew. Ratchaburi has a history of contact with towns in the same region, such as Praek Si Racha, Suwannaphum, Phetchaburi and Nakhon Si Thammarat. This relationship was mentioned in Sukhothai Stone Inscription No. I and has continued to this day. Throughout the long history of Ratchaburi numerous ovjects of art and monuments were created and many are still in existence. The present population is a mixture of various peoples, those stemming from the original inhabitants plus the Thai, Karen, Thai Yuan, Song or Thai Song Dam, Law Wieng or Lao Tee who were forcibly moved there from other areas, and the Mon and Chinese who settled in Ratchaburi in the early Bangkok Period. Despite their diversity the people of Ratchaburi have established and identity particularly their own.          The present prosperity of Ratchaburi is based on social, economic and political changes within approximately the last two hundred years. Ratchaburi was designated in its relationship to the capital at Bangkok "an Inner city;" thus the relationship between the two cities has been close. In addition Ratchaburi is within easy communication distance with other cities to the south and west.          Ratchaburi National Museum is situated on Woradet Road, near the Maeklong River. The edifice was formerly the town hall, built in 1922 during the reign of King Vajiravudh. It is a one-storey building on a high raised floor. The Fine Arts Department registered it as a National Monument on 10 May 1988 and after repairing it and renovation it declared it a National Museum in 1988.          The Ratchaburi area is rich in archaeology, history, ethnology, folk art, geology and natural resources.