Museums

• Kamthieng House Museum (พิพิธภัณฑ์เรือนคำเที่ยง Ban Kamthieng), 131 Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Asoke Rd) (BTS Asok or MRT Sukhumvit, then a five-minutes walk north), ☎ +66-2-661-6470‎. Tu-Sa 9AM-noon,1PM-5PM. Ban Kamthieng is a 19th-century ancient Thai stilted teak house where you definitely wouldn't expect it: right in the middle of Bangkok's high-rises. It was transported from Chiang Mai in pieces and assembled in Bangkok in 1964 to function as the headquarters of the Siam Society, an organization that has the goal of preserving the cultural heritage of Thailand. Beside the house itself, on display are traditional tools, arts and crafts used by Thai farmers and fishermen in olden times, as well as a large selection of Thai flora in its yard. There is a heavy focus on the cultural heritage of Northern Thailand, as that's where the house and most of the tools on display came from. The only downside of the museum is that it's quite small, so don't expect to spend here longer than 30 minutes (or even 15 minutes if you're quick). 50 baht.  

• Museum of Buddhism Art (พิพิธภัณฑ์พุทธศิลปะ), 104 Phattanakan Soi 40, ☎ +66-2-321-0048(-50). M-Sa 10AM-5:30PM, Su closed. This museum features a large private collection of Buddha images and is operated by the Foundation of Thai Arts Preservation. The exhibition focuses on the art of Buddha images in accordance with Thai history. An international presentation comprising light, sound (chanting) and scent (incense) explains the information to the visitor in an air-conditioned room. Besides Buddha images and artefacts of different periods, there is also an area allocated to be a shrine and a museum dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and other major gods of various beliefs in Asia. Make contact in advance if you want to visit. 250 baht.

• Museum of Thai Pharmacy (พิพิธภัณฑ์เภสัชกรรมไทย), 40 Sukhumvit Soi 38 (Soi Santisuk) (BTS Thong Lo, diagonally opposite Soi Thong Lo), ☎ +66-2-391-6243. M-F 10AM-4PM. The museum is on the third floor of the Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage Building. It was established to publicize about traditional Thai medicine from past to present, so that later generations would learn and treasure it. The exhibition features various topics, such as the birth of pharmacy, the evolution of oriental pharmacy and basic wisdom, the evolution of western Thai pharmacy and the evolution of herbs and natural products. Make contact in advance if you are visiting with a group. Free.  

• Science Centre for Education (ศูนย์วิทยาศาสตร์เพื่อการศึกษา (ท้องฟ้าจำลอง)), 928 Sukhumvit Rd (BTS Ekkamai, the museum is next to the Eastern Bus Terminal), ☎ +66-2-392-5951(-5). Tu-Su 8:30AM-4:30PM, M and hols closed. This is an exhibition centre about the variety of scientific knowledge. Among the attractions are a planetarium, an aquarium as well as a permanent exhibition on sports science, communication technology and natural environments. One-hour shows at the planetarium start at 11AM and at 2:30PM with additional shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 10AM and 1:30PM. 20-40 baht.

• Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC), 6th Floor, Emporium, 622 Sukhumvit Rd (BTS Phrom Phong), ☎ +66-2-664-8448. Tu-Su 10:30AM-9PM, M, hols closed. There couldn't have been a better place for this design gallery, at the the Emporium, the most fashionable shopping mall of Bangkok. The TCDC, as abbreviation-loving Bangkokians call it, seeks to show and promote Thailand's design innovations. There is a permanent exhibition about the question what design actually is, and how it is influenced by factors like society, history, politics, economics, geography and religion. There is also a temporary exhibition that often changes. If you want to enter the resource center and the library, you can get a free one-day pass. You can only do this once and you must carry your passport with you. Spend the day reading amazing design books, or just using the internet. If you want to visit the resource center and library again later, you'll need to pay for a subscription. Free.

Parks

• Benchasiri Park (สวนเบญจศิริ), Sukhumvit Rd (BTS Phrom Phong, between Soi 22 and Soi 24, next to The Emporium shopping mall). 5AM-8PM daily. This compact park was built to commemorate the 60th birthday of HM Queen Sirikit in 1992. It features a huge sculpture of a commemorative coin illustrating an image of HM Queen Sirikit and 12 pieces of contemporary sculptures including children's works. Free. 

• Benjakiti Park, Ratchadaphisek Rd (MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre). 5AM-8PM daily. When the Tobacco Company moved all its factory operations to Chiang Rai in 2008, a large swathe of free space came free in the center of Bangkok. It has been turned into a brand new public park that surrounds a big lake in front of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. It is a neat park with children playing in the lake at hot summer days. Another part of the former factory compound will turn into a man-made rainforest in the future. Free. 

• Ozono, 307 Sukhumvit Soi 39 (BTS Phrom Phong), ☎ +66-2-259-3788. Tu-Su 10AM-9PM, M closed. Luxury in Sukhumvit is not just for those on two legs. Ozono is a so-called "lifestyle complex" where Bangkok's pet owners can bring their pets as buddies and spoil them in an equal manner. There are pet hotels, pet stores, pet spas, pet restaurants and a landscaped pet park. The pets are treated as humans, so they can sit at the table in a restaurant along with their owners. If you don't have a pet, you can just look at the quirkiness of it all, or check out the pets at one the pet hotels. You might think it's just overdone luxury, but it actually a demand among pet owners, as pets are forbidden in all of Bangkok's public parks.

• Suan Luang Rama IX Park (สวนหลวง ร. 9), Sukhumvit Soi 103 (about 7 km deep inside Sukhumvit Soi 103 (Soi Udomsuk)), ☎ +66-2-328-1395. 5AM-7PM daily. Built in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of the present HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, this is the largest public park of Bangkok. It consists of six zones: the Homage to His Majesty, the Botanical Garden, the Trapangkaew Resevoir, the Rommaniya Garden, the Sanam Rasdara and the Water Garden. It is very very deep down the sois of Sukhumvit, so its best to stop over a taxi to find it. 10 baht.