National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Museums are windows that open onto a fascinating world of art, history, culture, science, and much more. Museums are like virtual time machines that transport you back in time to places and moments of history that you can only imagine.

The National Museum of Phnom Penh, Cambodia is one such museum that unveils the history of the Khmer Empire. The museum is the largest in the world in terms of Khmer art and includes sculpture, ceramics, woodwork, and much more. The National Museum of Phnom Penh is centrally located in the capital city of Phnom Penh and is a must visit landmark of Cambodia.

Why One Must Visit The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia Before Visiting The Ancient Temples

We recommend a visit to the Phnom Penh National Museum before visiting the magnificent temples of Siem Reap and other temples of Cambodia. This is because the National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia will give you a background and prepare you for the spectacular grandeur of the ancient temples of the Khmer Empire.

The other reason one must visit the National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is that many of the museum collections are from the different ancient temple ruins across the country. This fact enables one to fit in the jigsaw and connect more easily to what you find in the temples of Siem Reap, like Angkor Wat and others. For example, when we visited the temples of Phnom Da in the Takeo Province as well as other temples in Siem Reap we were told that some sculptures from the temples were now housed in The National Museum in Phnom Penh and we could instantly relate.

The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia – A Brief Synopsis

The Cambodia National Museum Phnom Penh is housed in a delightful building of terracotta designed with elements of traditional Khmer architecture. The building is in itself a visual delight and is a worthy place to house the treasures of the Khmer empire.

The National Museum in Phnom Penh boasts of over 14,000 items which spanning time right the pre-historic times and covering the pre-Angkorian era, the Angkor Period, and beyond. As one wanders through the immaculate galleries of the National Museum in Phnom Penh, one gets transported into another time and place to an era of spectacular grandeur. We walked through the galleries awed by the sheer and exquisite beauty of the exhibits which despite the passage of time still retained what can only be termed as a timeless beauty.

Discovering The Culture of India At the National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The close historical ties of India with Cambodia are very strong and evident when you visit the country. This ancient and historical connection comes alive at the National Museum of Phnom Penh in spectacular fashion.

Sculptures from Hindu mythology and religion like Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Garuda gaze at you while Sanskrit lithographs hold your attention. The Buddha makes his serene presence felt while the Ramayana in its Khmer version known as Reamker has you fascinated. Right from the beginning of the Funan kingdom, sometime in the 4th century to the grandeur of the Angkor era, the dance of Hinduism and Buddhism relives itself in the National Museum Phnom Penh Cambodia.

A Glimpse of Some Of The Exhibits At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The National Museum in Phnom Penh is vast and its collection huge. It is quite easy to get lost in the maze of exhibits and lose all sense of time and place. It is impossible to talk about all the treasures of the museum, but we highlight some of the exhibits that had us riveted and fascinated.

The Spectacular Reclining Vishnu At The National Museum of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

One of the spectacular sculptures that grab eyeballs at the National Museum of Phnom  Penh is that of a reclining Vishnu in bronze. Though only a portion of the original sculpture has survived the ravage of time, whatever remains is in itself magnificent and gives an indication of its original grandeur. This sculpture dates back to the 11th century, Angkorian period and is from the West Mebon temple site. West Mebon is a temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap that was built in the 11th century during the reign of Suryavarman I.

Hand To Hand Combat of Vali & Sugreeva At The National Museum of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This is a sculpture called Wrestling Apes and is from the Angkorian period in the Koh Ker style and dates back to the early part of the 10th century. The sculpture is from Prasat Chen Koh Ker, Preah Vihar in Siem Reap. This seems to be a depiction of the classic duel between the brothers Vali and Sugreeva from the Indian mythology, Ramayana.

An Enigmatic Discovery At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This enigmatic artefact was discovered in a pagoda at the foot of Phnom Da, sometime in the 1990s as per the information at the museum. Take note of the symbols at the four corners. You can see Vishnu’s Conch (Shankha), Wheel (Chakra), Shiva’s Trishul, and thunderbolt (Vajra) which is generally associated with the Hindu God Indra. It is believed that in this case the Vajra is also associated with Shiva and this artefact could refer to Harihara who is the synthesis of Vishnu and Shiva. The inscription here in Sanskrit says, “Homage to Jaimani! Hail to the Thunder! Jaimani is the ancient Indian sage Jaimini who lived in the 4th century and is credited as the author of the Mimamsa Sutras.

Bust of an Asura At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The churning of the ocean and the fight between the Devas (Gods) and Asuras (Demons) is a very important incident in Hindu mythology. This theme is found across the temples of Cambodia including Angkor Wat and other temples of Siem Reap. This is the bust of an Asura from the Angkorian period sometime during the late 12th or early 13th century sculpted in the Bayon style.

Face To Face With King Jayavarman VII At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This sculpture is said to depict the King Jayavarman VII. The sculpture was found in two parts. The body was found in Krol Romeas in 1924 and the head at Angkor Thom in 1931. After a thorough study of similar images at Bas-reliefs across temples, it was established that this sculpture represents the King Jayavarman VII.

King Jayavarman VII is credited with the building of the ancient city of Angkor Thom as well as the famous Bayon temple whose towers are renowned for the four faces mysteriously staring into the four cardinal directions. King Jayavarman is regarded as one of the greatest kings of the Khmer empire who is known for his public works and the temples he built including hospitals, canals, and reservoirs.

Sanskrit Inscriptions At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This stone with the inscriptions dates back to sometime between the 5th and 6th centuries. It was discovered in 1937 and is from Neak Ta Dambang Dek in Takeo province. It is said to be the oldest of Cambodian epigraphic records and has 5 stanzas of Sanskrit written in an ancient and archaic script. It is attributed to Kulaprahbavati, a queen of King Jayavarman in the Funan kingdom, much before the dawn of the Angkor era. The queen in this inscription proclaims her love for her husband and compares her relationship with the king to that of Saci and Indra, Rudrani and Shiva, Sri and Vishnu, as well as Svaha and the seven flamed fire.

Other Impressive Exhibits At The National Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

A sculpture of Vishnu complete with Gada (Mace), Shankha (Conch), and Chakra (Wheel) casts a sublime aura at the National Museum of Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

A carving on a Lintel depicts Vishnu in the classic Anantashayana position which is from the Angkorian era, dating back to the 11th century and is made in the Bapuhon style.

Today more than 95% of the Cambodian population follow Buddhism. Buddhism and Hinduism have always co-existed in Cambodia and its Buddhism incorporates many elements of Hinduism. The National Museum in Phnom Penh is full of exhibits that include both Hindu and Buddhist thought and symbology.

This is part of an antefix depicting a sitting figure. It is from Prasat Thom, Koh Ker, Preah Vihar and dates back to the Angkorian period sometime in the early part of the 10th century.

The ancient Hindu mythological text, Ramayana finds resonance in Khmer culture as Reamker. Reamker is a synthesis of the Hindu mythology Ramayana with Buddhist beliefs and themes.

The National Museum of Cambodia Phnom Penh is indeed a treasure house of innumerable gems that have survived the test of time and tell a beautiful story of the history of Cambodia. Words and images are inadequate to do justice to these beautiful remains of the past and one must visit in person to really experience the fascinating world of Khmer history and culture.

Quick Facts To Know About The National Museum Phnom Penh

• The National Museum of Cambodia is located in the capital city of Phnom Penh
• Phnom Penh International Airport is well connected with other major cities of the world
• National Museum Phnom Penh opening hours are from 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM, the ticket window closes at 4.30 PM
• Guided tours are available at the museum in Khmer, English, French, and, Japanese as well as audio-guides
• National Museum Phnom Penh entrance fee is a complete value for money, check out the official Museum website for current rates
• If you want to see National museum Phnom Penh dance then traditional Khmer dance shows are held in the evening by Cambodian Living Arts

If you have visited Cambodia, we do hope that you have visited the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. If you have not visited Cambodia but plan to, we recommend you start with the National Museum Cambodia Phnom Penh. Do let us know your thoughts through the comments section.

We were hosted by Cambodia Tourism. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.

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