Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute
The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is a historic research center in Lumphini dedicated to studying snake venom and producing antivenom for medical use. The facility includes a snake farm with various species, a museum displaying equipment and photographs from its history, and working laboratories where venom extraction takes place.
The institute was founded in 1913 after a princess died from rabies, initially operating as the Pasteur Institute for disease control. In 1922, it relocated to land provided by King Rama VI and expanded with a snake farm in 1923, making it only the second such facility in the world at that time.
The institute is named after Queen Saovabha Phongsri and represents how Thai society values the connection between snakes and healing traditions. Visitors see how local knowledge about snakes has shaped medical practices and public health over generations.
The institute is located near Chulalongkorn Hospital at the corner of Henri Dunant Road and Rama IV Road, making it easily accessible from central Bangkok. Allow time to explore the museum and attend venom extraction demonstrations, which operate at specific times throughout the day.
When founded as a snake farm in 1923, it was only the second facility of its kind in the world and transformed a response to tragedy into a scientific institution with lasting impact. Today it produces antivenom that saves lives from snake bites across the region.
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