The Surin National Museum was established by the Department of Fine Art in 1995 to collect, preserve and exhibit the cultural heritage of Surin Province in five areas on two floors :
1) Natural Sciences
This section illustrates the physical characteristics of Surin-topography, climate, geology, natural resources and rice-farming in Surin, one of the top producers of high quality jasmine rice in Thailand.
2) History-Archaeology
This exhibition shows cultural development from the pre-historic period of about 2000-1500 years ago through the Dvaravati period (7th-8th century), Khmer culture period (7th-13th centuries), and the Lan Chang-Ayutthaya period (14th-18th centuries).
3) History of Surin
This display illustrates the history of Surin beginning in 1759 when the Kuay leaders, composed of Chiang Phum, Chiang Kha, Chiangsi, Takacha, and Chiang Khan, caught a white elephant that had fled from the court of Ayutthaya and returning it. Because of this feat, the leaders were appointed Luang, ruling villages which were later upgraded to town status. Exhibits also depict the history of local economic, social customs, population and education.
4) Ethnology
Displays focus on the population of Surin, which can be divided into three groups: the Kuay, who excel at catching and training elephants, the Khmer and the Laos, who are renowned for beautiful silk weaving.
5) Local Heritage
This exhibition highlights aspects of well-known cultural heritage of Surin, including silver ornament production, silk weaving, folk performances and the lives of the Kuay and their elephants.