Siamese Twins Museum Showcases Famous Mount Airy Residents

Journey through the conjoined lives of Eng and Chang Bunker, for whom the term “Siamese twins” originated, at the newly opened Siamese Twins Museum.

The museum spotlights the extraordinary tale of two brothers born in 1811 in Siam (now Thailand) who were connected at the chest by a band of cartilage. They were discovered in their teens by a British merchant and an American sea captain who took them across the world as a paid attraction for a curious public.

After years on the road, Eng and Chang yearned for a normal life outside the spotlight. They found it in rural northwestern North Carolina, where they settled for a short time in Wilkes County, became U.S. citizens, married two sisters and soon bought a homestead in Mount Airy.

There they later built a second home for their growing families, had a total of 22 children and became successful farmers. They lived in Mount Airy for 29 years until their deaths in 1874.

The museum opened July 1, 2024, in Mount Airy thanks to the determination of Tanya Jones, great-great-granddaughter of Eng. She’s one of an estimated 1,500 descendants of the twins.

“For me it represents years of research and work to tell their story accurately, and I’m just so happy the museum is open,” Jones says. “It’s a huge accomplishment to preserve the twins’ legacy and to highlight some of the important firsts in their lives.”

Scholars have determined they brought the first Buddhist document to America and were the first Thai natives to become U.S. citizens. The museum has the blessing of the Thai government and the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC. Dignitaries from both have visited, and Mount Airy has a sister-cities relationship with Samut Songkhram, the province where the twins were born.

“When you enter the museum, you experience the village of their youth. Ryan Pino, a scholar and descendant, is featured on an audio-visual station discussing religious influences, their cultural heritage and significant artifacts,” Jones says.

The museum’s strength is its collection of artifacts loaned by descendants. This includes a double chair and Chang’s flute that were featured on Antiques Roadshow, two beds from Eng’s homeplace, a trunk Eng used on tour, Chang’s crutches, and a log they hollowed for curing meat.

Many family letters and other items are displayed, including Chang’s hand-written will.

As visitors go through the museum, they view a chronological progression of these famous lives, including a replica of the façade of Chang’s homeplace. A focal point is a life-size statue of the twins. It was sculpted by North Carolina artist Frank “Chip” Holton and completed by Carolina Bronze Sculpture in Seagrove.

One exhibit focuses on medical exams conducted during their lives. These were often filled with misinformation, and the examiners were frequently not physicians. Another exhibit showcases numerous mentions of the twins in pop culture.

“They wanted to lead as normal lives as possible and overcame many obstacles,” Jones says. One example was their living situation. After building a second home, they spent three-day intervals at each house. Chang was the head of his household and Eng was the head of his.

Jones says the museum’s overall mission is telling the story of the Siamese Twins accurately and with the dignity they sought for both themselves and their families. "There is a massive amount of information for those who want a deeper dive into their lives and legacy,” she says.

The Siamese Twins Museum is operated by the non-profit Surry Arts Council. It is located at 215 Rockford Street in Mount Airy across from the Andy Griffith Museum.

Admission is $10 and $6 for those ages 12 and younger. Combined admission to the Siamese Twins Museum and the Andy Griffith Museum is $16 and $10.

Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.SurryArts.org/siamesetwins.