BANGKOK -- Many tourists marvel at Thailand's temples, the most visible elements of the nation's centuries-old Buddhist heritage. But some Thais harbor an enduring fascination with a different kind of relic: ephemera from just a few decades ago.

Thais increasingly seem to be pining for reminders of a simpler time, a stretch during the mid-20th century when their beloved king was young and the country hadn't yet begun its explosive economic boom. While the years from roughly 1930 to 1970 had their share of conflict, for many Thais the era now represents a golden age, especially after Thailand's recent political turmoil and the slow decline of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is 84 and ill.

Wanna Nawigamune and her husband Anake founded the museum with the help of a group of friends, academics and other Bangkok intellectuals. The name House of Museums reflects its original purpose: to store an overflow of items that would not fit in other facilities.

In recent years, however, the museum's popularity has grown through word of mouth, and it has become a repository of goods donated by other Thais to preserve the near past. "We keep alive other people's memories," says Mrs. Wanna, a professor of English literature and Thai studies at Bangkok's Kasetsart University. Other museums, she notes, are dedicated to traditional artifacts, but everyday items are often overlooked.

While the museum does attract some youthful visitors, she finds their lack of historical knowledge frustrating. They "don't know about the former kings, even in the Bangkok period," she says, referring to the current dynasty, which began in 1782. "I find that my students have changed as radically as Bangkok."