National Museum of Cambodia

National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh is the country’s largest archaeological and cultural history museum. The museum shows you the cultural side of Cambodian history, which dates back to the 4th century. Inaugurated in 1920 as the Musée Albert Sarraut during the French colonial period, the museum's reopening was initiated by George Groslier, a famed author, historian and architect, who also served as the museum's first curator. In 1951, the French conceded the control of the museum to the Cambodians when it came to be known as Musée National de Phnom Penh. Later in 1966, Chea Thay Seng became the museum’s first Cambodian director. It barely survived serious damage during the devastating Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, and the museum and its precincts underwent a major refurbishment in the 1990s with contributions from the Australian Government and other patrons. Backed by the Cambodian Department of Museums, the museum’s role is now not just confined to preserving its exhibits that include one of the largest collections of Khmer artefacts in the world, but also to oversee other museums in the country. Housed within an impressive red sandstone structure, The National Museum of Cambodia stands out as a fine illustration of the traditional Khmer architecture. With over 14,000 interesting exhibits to its credit, the museum is truly a treasure trove of artefacts portraying Khmer and Angkorian culture and history. Its exhibits, comprising bronze/wood sculptures, ceramic items, ethnographic items and stone articles are categorised into 4 brackets: prehistoric, pre-Angkor, Angkor and post-Angkor exhibits. One of its most spectacular exhibits is the 8-armed statue of Lord Vishnu that dates back to the 6th century. Another remarkable attraction is the image of King Jayavarman VII in a meditation posture that can be seen in the West Gallery, displaying artworks from Angkor Wat. Visit the museum’s Bronze Gallery to take a peek into bronze-casting methods practised during the Angkorian period from the 6th to 13th centuries. Found next to the Bronze Gallery is a rare repository of post-Angkorian-era Buddha images. There's also a gallery that exhibits a selection of sandstone sculptures dating back to the 6th century.

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Gallery