The Museum in Cambodia

The National Museum of Phnom Penh

The construction of the National Museum building began in 1917 and was named "Musée Albert Sarraut” by Royal Decree in honour of the French Gouverneur Général of Indochina. The Museum building incorporates a wide range of traditional Khmer architectural elements and ornamental carvings after those found on Angkor-period temples.

The original purpose of the Museum was to provide a central place for the storage, protection and display of Cambodia’s artistic, historic and archaeological treasures.
In the early 1970’s, many objects from provincial museums were brought to the National Museum to save-keeping but during the period of Khmer Rouge control (1975-1979), the Museum was abandoned and its entire staff was forced to evacuate along with the rest of the city’s residents.

Today, the National Museum, with the support of several foreign governments and organisations (UNESCO, France, Australia…), has seen gradual progress in restoring its building and its rich collection.
Among the numerous masterpieces of Khmer art, let us mention the famous « Leper King » from Angkor Thom, which is exposed in the middle of the garden
I would like to suggest that visiting the Museum after journeying to Siemreap is an excellent idea.

The Angkor Conservation office in Siemreap

The French established the “Conservation d’Angkor” in 1907 (when Thailand was forced to render Angkor region to Cambodia). in order to conduct formal study of the Angkor civilisation and to restore the temples to their former glory.
Today it is nicknamed the « Fort Knox of the Khmer art ».
Faced with rampant rooting, the Angkor Conservation Office (ACO) removed many objects from the temples and transferred them to the depot but ACO was still unable to prevent further theft despite day and night armed guards and improved security.