The national museums (Thai: พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ,) of Thailand are operated by the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture, and are responsible for the safeguarding of state-owned historical and cultural artefacts. In 1926 King Prajadhipok created the Royal Institute of Art, Literature and Archaeology, which then opened the museum in Bangkok at the Wang Na palace. Today there are 43 national museum branches operated across the country.