Angkor National Museum

Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap, Cambodia, showcases thousands of important Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from various Angkor temples. Opened on 12 November 2007, the museum offers a comprehensive journey through the golden era of the Khmer Kingdom, utilizing state-of-the-art multimedia technology. Visitors can explore eight themed galleries, including the Gallery of 1,000 Buddha Images and the Gallery of Khmer Civilization, providing insights into the art, culture, and history of the Angkorian period. The museum is open daily from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with extended hours during the peak tourist season. For more information, visit their official website.

Planning your visit

The Angkor National Museum works best before the temples rather than after. Opened in 2007 in Siem Reap, its eight themed galleries — including the Gallery of 1,000 Buddha Images — set out Khmer civilisation, its Hindu and Buddhist iconography, and the kings behind the monuments, using multimedia alongside sculpture recovered from the temple complexes. Walk Angkor Wat first and much of the carving is decorative; walk it after this museum and it reads.

It's centrally located in Siem Reap, so bookable options are straightforward: admission tickets, and tickets that include hotel pickup and drop-off, which is convenient in a town where tuk-tuk negotiation is otherwise part of every trip. Some combined formats pair the museum with the city's other historical sites, including the Cambodian Landmine Museum, the War Museum, and the Siem Reap killing fields memorial, making a fuller half-day of recent as well as ancient history. Current options are shown below.