National Museum of Angkor

• Address: Charles De Gaulle, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Phone: +855 63 966 601
• Website: www.angkornationalmuseum.com

Curious tourists who have chosen to relax the wonderful city of Siem Reap, just need to visit the National Museum of Angkor. This is one of the new modern museums in Cambodia , in it you will discover the most interesting history of the Khmer empire. The National Museum of Angkor covers an area of ​​more than 20 thousand square meters. m., In it you will find 8 galleries of archaeological artifacts. You, undoubtedly, will be carried away by the history of the guide, who will tell the smallest details about the exhibits.

From the history

The National Museum of Angkor was opened in 2007. Despite its name, it is a private enterprise, but the exhibits in the museum belong to the former National Museum of the city. Most of the exhibition attractions appeared in the museum thanks to the French Institute of the Far East. At the moment the museum belongs to the famous Bangkok company Thai Vilailuck International Holdings.

Exposition and exhibits

The National Museum of Angkor offers the best modern technology that will make your excursion more comfortable. Ten searchlights, tactile screens with visual broadcast constantly show films about the history of the empire. To prevent heat from annoying you, air conditioners were installed on the territory of the museum, so excursions can last for hours.

The building itself attracts a lot of attention. It is built in the traditional Khmer style and "sheltered" by multi-tiered towers. The main gate of the building is also an example of the Khmer style. The National Museum of Angkor is divided into eight broad zones, each represented by a separate era of the empire. The transition between them is almost invisible due to the vaulted structures. On the territory of the museum there are cozy, neat gardens with small fountains, where you can relax.

Your tour of the museum will begin with a small film about the Khmer Empire, after which the guides will be able to continue and fill your idea of ​​the history of this era. You will be taken to such halls of the museum:

1. A gallery of thousands of Buddhas . A huge number of Buddha statuettes await you in this hall. There are exhibits here that are made of wood, bone, gold and other materials. Guides will tell you about how Buddhism influenced the first Khmer inhabitants.
2. Exhibition of Khmer civilization (A-Gallery). Here you can get acquainted with the sculptures and objects of everyday life of the pre-Angkor era. Each exhibit is located on a niche with a small screen that shows a video about this landmark, and at the end of the visit you will be shown a small film about the everyday life of the population of that time and the foundations of Hinduism.
3. Exhibition of Religions (In-Gallery). Here you will be told the most interesting legends of Buddhism and Hinduism, which so influenced the traditions and rites of the population. You can get acquainted with the cultural monuments (manuscripts and documents) of the Khmer era in this hall.
4. Exhibition "Khmer Emperors" (S-Gallery). The main exhibits of this exhibition were the personal belongings of the first king of the empire, Jayavarmane II. There are also exhibits of his descendants: Emperor Chelny (802 - 850), Yashovarmane First, Suevarmman II (1116 - 1145), King Jayavarmane Seventh (1181-1201).
5. Exhibition "Angkor Wat" (D-Gallery). Here you will be told about different construction techniques of Angkor Wat, its first cultural attractions that have long been demolished and, of course, the construction of the first magnificent palace.
6. Exhibition "Angkor-Tom" (E-Gallery). In this room you will learn all the smallest details about the construction of the former capital of Angkor-Tom. You will be shown how the architecture of the city has changed over time, as well as interesting engineering devices.
7. The exhibition "History in stone" (F-Gallery). In this room there are massive stones of ancient culture that store important records and sketches of the Khmer people. Near the stones, you can read the modern transcript in three languages.
8. Exhibition of ancient costumes (G-Gallery). As you guessed, in this room you will become acquainted with the traditional ancient attire of Khmer culture. There are also valuable accessories of the era, the best jewelry of the emperors. The monitor that is in the center of the hall will show you a small film about the hairstyles and style of the clothes of that time.

On a note

The National Museum of Angkor works every day from 8.00 to 18.00. From October 1 to April 30, you can visit the museum until 19.30.

For the entrance to the museum you have to pay 12 dollars - this is the highest ticket price in the whole state, but it justifies itself. Children who are below 1.2 meters, admission is free. If you want to be photographed in a museum, then pay for it 3 dollars, but remember that not every hall is allowed.

By public transport to the National Museum of Angkor, you can get by bus number 600, 661. If you decide to drive to the sights by car, then choose a direct route number 63.