The National Museum of Cambodia

the National Museum

The National Museum of Cambodia is situated alongside the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, just across a plaza from the Royal Palace. The collection it houses is impressive, but the building that houses it is just as beautiful.

a Khmer-style statue

A ticket to visit the museum costs $10, and in my opinion it's well worth the relatively high (by Cambodian standards) price. Cambodia has a rich ancient history dating back thousands of years to one of the largest empires in Asian history.

the entrance to the National Museum in Phnom Penh

The museum is located inside a building dating back to the founding of the National Museum in 1920. The building is designed to be reminiscent of Khmer-style Buddhist temple architecture, and displays a unique blend between traditional and colonial-era style.

inside the National Museum

Sadly, the kingdom's National Museum was abandoned during the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. It's taken a long time to restore the museum to its former glory, but today, the museum is once again open and home to an impressive collection of Khmer and pre-Khmer artifacts.

the museum courtyard

The only problem is, the museum is not air-conditioned! The building dates back to the 1920s, and is built along an open-plan layout with a cool courtyard in the center. At least there's usually a nice breeze blowing through!

the National Museum was inspired by Cambodian temple architecture

I did get a little warm while browsing the historical collections, so I went to sit in the courtyard for a bit. They had a little cafe with snacks and cool drinks for sale, and lots of people were enjoying taking photographs in the beautiful courtyard garden.

a collection of Buddhist statues inside the museum

Today, the museum is managed in part by the Cambodian Royal University of Fine Arts, located just next door. The university was founded in 1917, and is the oldest university in the country.

the front of the National Museum of Cambodia