Lumpini Park was established in 1925 by King Rama VI, who sought to create a space for learning and leisure in what was then the outskirts of Bangkok. While a museum never fully came to life, the space evolved into Bangkok’s first public park, named after Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal, reflecting the king’s emphasis on cultural heritage and Thai identity in a rapidly modernising world.

Once a vibrant and influential hub, this ancient metropolis was founded in 1350 by U-Thong (later crowned Ramathibodi I) and became the...