Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Centre

This historical building is deserving of a visit, whether or not you’re an art-lover. Best of all, it’s near to Documentary Arts Asia—so you can hit up of two of Chiang Mai’s most fascinating art spaces in one day! (While you’re at it, grab a meal at the nearby restaurant Khun Churn for wonderful Thai food.) As the city’s one and only public art gallery, the Arts and Cultural Center is unique. It has some of the most sophisticated events in Chiang Mai, often hosting live symphony music performances, traditional Khantoke dinners, and dancing.

Led by the CMU Faculty of Arts, the gallery is as much a museum as art space, and has a strong focus on visual literacy. With an emphasis on art education and critical thinking, the Arts and Cultural Centre features rotating exhibitions as well as mainstay displays. Because of its affiliation with the university, the gallery also shows many student art exhibitions, adding a contemporary feel to an otherwise historical landmark. To see traditional Thai art placed within an educational context, give this gallery a go.