The top five museums worth visiting in Siem Reap

In recent years, the tourism industry in Siem Reap has flourished, attracting thousands of tourists from around the world and making it an international small county town. Here, you can find one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, Tonle Sap Lake, and a vibrant nightlife on Pub Street. There are also a variety of hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants of different levels. All these factors make this small city a must-visit destination in your lifetime. If you want to get to know this unfamiliar yet charming city, start with its museums! There are many interesting and rich museums worth exploring. Take this list and make your mark in Siem Reap!

Angkor National Museum

The Angkor National Museum is a place that showcases representative works of art from various periods of the Khmer Empire. The museum covers an area of 10,000 square meters, with exhibition halls occupying 5,000 square meters, displaying representative works of art from various periods of the Khmer Empire, all of which are authentic artifacts. The exterior design of the museum is unique, cleverly combining grand overall concepts with subtle detail changes. From a distance, the museum's roof exudes the mysterious aura of the ancient towers of Angkor Wat. Upon closer inspection, you will find that details such as the corridors, doorways, and inlaid windows are not only inspired by the design of Angkor Wat but also incorporate modern elements, attracting many visitors to catch a glimpse of the rich heritage left by Khmer culture.

War Museum Cambodia

The War Museum is located in Kachkan Village, Sorkai Commune, Cambodia, and was established in 2001. At that time, with the assistance of the Ministry of Defense, many weapons left over from the war were collected from Battambang Province, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Chhnang Province, and Siem Reap Province, and transported to the War Museum for preservation.

Cambodia Landmine Museum

The Cambodia Landmine Museum was established in 1997 by local demining expert Aki Ra, aiming to tell people about the history of landmines. Aki Ra witnessed horrifying scenes of violence and fratricide during the demining process, which prompted him to raise funds on his own to set up the Landmine Museum, hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of war and landmines. At the entrance of the museum, there are several cannons, and there is a landmine pavilion displaying various types of landmines of different sizes and shapes. The museum also showcases artworks made from landmines. In addition to landmines, the museum exhibits helmets, mortars, guns, and various weapons from the civil war period.

National Centre of the Khmer Ceramics Revival

The National Centre of the Khmer Ceramics Revival is currently the largest ceramics museum in Cambodia. It primarily showcases ceramics with Khmer cultural characteristics. These works are meticulously crafted and beautifully designed, making it an excellent place to understand and study ceramics.

Angkor Panorama Museum

This panorama museum is located on the road to Angkor Wat and is the only museum of its kind in Siem Reap. Through multimedia technology, it showcases the history, culture, and life of the Angkor period in a comprehensive manner. The panoramic paintings in the museum depict stories from the Angkor era, helping visitors gain a deeper understanding of Cambodia's millennia-old history!

Art Box Museum

The Siem Reap 3D Art Museum is an exhibition venue located in Siem Reap, which opened and began operations on December 2, 2016. The museum uses scientific painting techniques and special paints to make flat images (2D) appear with lively three-dimensional effects (3D). Visitors can experience and enjoy this unique art form in this exhibition, known as the Trick Art Museum.