National Museum of Cambodia

The National Museum of Cambodia is one of the most beautiful buildings in Phnom Penh and the city’s finest museum. It stands near the river, just north of the Royal Palace, in an area well suited to wandering and exploring on foot.

The museum’s antiquarian collection of religious sculpture, architecture and material culture is arranged around the perimeter of an open-air building, enclosing a serene central garden of lotus blossoms, fish ponds and shrubbery. At the garden’s heart is a replica of the “Leper King”, the god of death or judgement. A contemporary exhibition room, a sculpture garden of replicas and a dedicated hall of Buddha images round out the displays.

Interpretation throughout is fairly sparse, so a guided tour is recommended unless you already know the history and culture well. Highlights include the winged Garuda from the 11th-century city of Koh Ker; the giant bronze reclining Vishnu from the West Mebon; a group of 7th-century statues from Sambor Prei Kuk, among them a rotund Ganesha and the striking goddess Durga; and three towering sculptures from the 6th-century kingdom of Funan.

The museum building is a terracotta structure from the early 1900s, set amid well-manicured grounds dotted with statuary from the neighbouring Royal University of Fine Arts. It was designed by George Groslier, who became its first curator.

Its collection spans the great periods of Cambodian art. Pre-Angkorian bronzes and pottery represent the Funan and Chenla cultures of the 4th to 9th centuries; further works trace the Indravarman era of the 9th and 10th centuries; and classical Angkorian pieces run from the 10th to the 14th centuries. Among the standout objects are the late-12th-century Jayavarman VII Buddha (the Jayabuddhamahanatha) and several kneeling figures of the goddess Prajnaparamita, some sculpted in the likeness of Jayavarman’s wife and mother. For the best experience, visit in the cooler morning hours, as the museum is not air-conditioned.