Royal Palace Museum

The palace was built in 1904 in a hybrid of French and Lao styles for King Sisavang Vong, and it stayed the royal residence until the monarchy ended in 1975. It became a museum shortly afterwards and much of it was left as it stood: the throne hall with its glass mosaic walls, the king's and queen's bedrooms with their furniture in place, and a room of diplomatic gifts that reads as a snapshot of the mid-twentieth century. In a separate pavilion in the grounds stands the Prabang, the gold-alloy Buddha image the city is named after.

What you actually see

• The throne hall - deep red walls inlaid with mirrored glass mosaic, and the throne itself.
• The private rooms - bedrooms and reception rooms left furnished as they were.
• The gift room - state presents from around the world, arranged by donor country.
• The Prabang pavilion - a separate hall in the grounds holding the image the city takes its name from.

When to go

November to March is the comfortable season. Mornings are quieter than afternoons. The museum closes at midday on some days and is shut on Tuesdays, so timing matters more here than at most sites in town.

Honest expectations

No photography inside, and bags, phones and cameras go into lockers at the door, which people frequently do not expect. Shoes come off for the palace interior. Labelling is thin and there is no real narrative provided; a guide adds a lot.

Nearby

Mount Phousi is directly opposite, and the night market sets up along the street outside.