The museum building itself is a protected national monument, Over 100 years old, unique because of its Chinese architecture, it houses a valuable collection representing various aspects of the cultural heritage of the South and of Thailand as a whole. History of the Songkhla National Museum          The typically Chiness style building of the present day Songkhla National Museum was built in 1878 at the command of Phraya Sundranuraksa (Mr. Net Na Songkhla), Deputy Governor of Songkhla at that time. After being a house of his family for 16 years, the buildin the was used as the residence of Phraya Yommaraj (Mr. Pan Sukhum),state governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1894, the state hall in 1896 - 1897, and the city hall of Songkhla Province in 1917 - 1953, respectively, afterwards it was neglected for 20 years. On the 6th of July 1973 it was registered as a National Monument, From 1974 it was successively restored by the Fine Arts Department to house cultural material, and has served as a National Museum since its opening ceremony in 1982.