The Angkor National Museum

The Angkor National Museum

The Angkor National Museum is classified as one of Cambodia’s premier museum sites. On display are thousands of important Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from the various Angkor temples.

Many original pieces recovered for safe-keeping by the authorities from the temple ruins are also on exhibit at this museum.

Since the discovery of the Angkor temples, many of the antique artifacts have been stolen and sold to private collectors, museums and auction houses all over the world. Over the years, efforts have been made by the Royal Cambodian government to recover them and with the cooperation of various government agencies from around the world, many of the lost pieces have found their way back to Cambodia.

Few places are more steeped in history than the temples of Angkor. Yet many visitors go no further than what is presented in the history section of their Lonely Planet guidebook. Setting out to change that is the Angkor National Museum, home to over a thousand artifacts recovered from around the country and reclaimed from abroad.

I skipped visiting the museum during my 2009 visit, and hesitated before attending this time. Opening it’s doors in 2007, the Angkor National Museum has been faced with some harsh evaluations in it’s short lifespan. Naysayers criticize the high entry fee, the somewhat out of place mall-like exterior, the fact that the company is Thai owned (though will be transferred to Cambodia after 30 years), and even the need for a museum dedicated to the temples when the real thing lies moments away. As a museum lover and an Angkor-enthusiast, I decided to see for myself.

While I agree that the exterior of the museum is a slight eyesore, the interior is stunning. A spiral staircase brings you to the main galleries and also served as the lift for heavy stone artifacts that otherwise would not have made it to the second floor, while a reflecting pool used in official water ceremonies is a calming presence. As a design geek, I found the museum design and the display design to be on par with any world class museum.