On 6–7 March 2025, students and teachers from Suksanaree School joined the Xplorer Squad – Unlock the Past programme at Museum Siam and Rattanakosin Island. The two-day workshop blended museum-based and place-based learning, guiding students to uncover Bangkok’s layered history through observation, evidence, and reflection.

The first day began at Museum Siam with a lecture by Associate Professor Pirasri Povatong, an expert in urban history, who guided students on a journey through time using old maps and photographs to understand Bangkok’s development—particularly the transformative period when Siam encountered Western influences. Students then worked hands-on with three sets of maps from 1887, 1932, and the present day, carefully observing how the city had changed through the symbols and details depicted on the maps. Afterwards, they learned techniques for reading historical photographs, focusing on uncovering hidden details and clues within the images.

Students were divided into six teams, each assigned two of twelve historical places to investigate more deeply. They studied maps, analysed photographs, and prepared to observe their assigned sites in the field. The diversity of the twelve sites—from historic buildings to cultural landmarks—helped students understand how different parts of the old city tell distinct stories yet connect within the larger narrative of Bangkok’s transformation.

On the second day, everyone set out along a designated historical trail, stopping at key sites such as the underground archaeological museum at Sanam Chai MRT Station — a recreated exhibition based on excavations during the subway’s construction. The display told the layered story of the site, which had once been an Ayutthaya-era fort, later royal residences in early Rattanakosin, then a European-style ministry building, and today, Museum Siam. Other stops included the Museum Siam building itself, the cast-iron gates at Saranrom Park where students observed the manufacturer’s marks, the Sala Chalermkrung Theatre, and the Phra Ratchawang Police Station. At each site, students compared its current condition with historical evidence, noting both continuities and changes, asking questions, and exchanging observations throughout the journey.

The programme concluded with each team presenting their findings through creative posters combining maps, photographs, and their observations. Students reflected on how visiting real sites and working with authentic evidence made history vivid, relevant, and easier to understand than simply reading about it.

For teachers, the experience demonstrated the value of museum-based and heritage-based resources in teaching history. It showed how structured fieldtrip, supported by historical evidence and thoughtful guidance, can enhance students’ critical thinking, teamwork, and sense of place — empowering them to connect their present lives with the city’s rich and evolving past.

As the day wrapped up, the students’ reflections painted a vivid picture of their journey. Many spoke of how walking through the old city and seeing the sites with their own eyes made history feel alive — no longer just words in a book or pictures on a screen. “The photos and maps helped,” one student remarked, “but standing there, hearing the stories, and noticing little details on the buildings… that’s what made me really understand.” Others noted how comparing old and new photographs revealed changes they’d never imagined, while exploring the streets with maps in hand gave them a sense of being real detectives. Some even joked about how exhausting the walk was, but quickly added that it was “worth it to see how much the city has changed — and what still remains.” Their words echoed a shared discovery: that history is not just about the past, but a living part of their everyday surroundings, waiting to be noticed.