Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Do this first. If you come to the Bridge on the River Kwai without any context, it's just a bridge with tourists on it. Come here first, and you'll understand what you're standing for.

The subject is the Thailand-Burma Railway, built by Allied prisoners of war and Asian forced laborers under the Japanese army – an undertaking that cost tens of thousands of lives. The exhibition presents the topic comprehensively and with nuance, using photographs, personal belongings, maps, and written accounts, juxtaposing the engineering feat with the human cost. It is not a place that feels intrusive. The atmosphere is calm and contemplative, and rightly so. Ninety minutes is sufficient; more if you read everything – and many do.

It's suitable for anyone interested in war or the impact of conflict on civilian lives. It might be somewhat upsetting for children. The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is nearby, and most visitors combine the two.