Angkor Tuk Tuk Travel

Angkor National Musuem in Siem Reap

Visiting the Angkor National Museum was an eerie. Surreal experience  .  For the first 45 minutes of our trip through the mammoth. 20,00 square metre. Building. We didn’t spot another visitor. The Museum opened in November 2007. and it freshly painted, shopping mail-like feel contrasts with the thousands year old artifacts contained within it. A visit is a comfortable air-con alternative to visiting the temples them. Selves, and a nice educational supplement to the history of Angkor if you visit the park without a tour guide, it’s composed of eight separate galleries. All connected by a vaulted corridor with a series of fountains and line with what seems like al the Angkorian limestone lion and demon heads missing from statues at the temples. After an explanatory film screening called story behind the legend you’re pointed toward the galleries.

 

1,000 Buddha Images

This is the only gallery that’s just one large room, rather than a series of maze-like alcoves, and the sight of all these Buddhas at once is striking. Hundreds of small and miniature Buddha figurines. Made of metals, Jewels and wood all individually illuminated line the walls here. Identified according to the period they were made during and where they were discovered in the centre, life-size and larger Buddha character and displayed the display includes Buddha from Banteay Kdei, Bayon, Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear.

Per-Angkor Period Khmer Civilization

This gallery and all the subsequent ones combine mural size explanations and short films through maze-like rooms explaining Angkorian history, The styles of figurines precede the trademark Ankgkor style and there’s large collection of lingas lintels and colonnettes.

Religion and Beliefs

This room explains several of the most significant Hindi and Buddhist religions stories and folk tales depicted on Angkorian temples, including the most memorable Churning of the Sea of milk carved into the rear wall at Angkor Wat, Carving of Buddhist and Hindu religious are concentrated here as well.

The Great Khmer Kings

The gallery focuses on King Jayavarman II, Yasovarman I, Soryavarman II and Jayavarman VII, those most responsible for Angkor’s greatest constructions, Figures of the king’s and relics from the temples they commissioned abound.

Angkor Wat

There’s a large film gallery inside this section of the museum it features beautiful, panoramic, images of the temple and explanations of how it was constructed, there are also many restored figures from the temple itself as well as post-Angkorian wooden statues used for worship at the temple until several hundred year ago.

Angkor Thom

In addition to recovered artifacts from Angkor Thom,  this gallery includes a history of and artifacts from the vast irrigation projects commissioned by the king who built Angkor Thom with his smiling face looking out from every tower: Jayavarman VII.

Story From Stones

This room is one of the most interesting. It’s a collection of stone pallets with ancient Khmer and Sanskrit inscriptions. The writing on each slate is explained on placards below. The writing on them includes the declaration of the construction of a new hospital, lists of slave names, mediations of land disputes and adulations of kings and gods.

Ancient Costume

From Apsaras and kings to princesses and warriors, this room contains the busts and statues of distinct fashions and styles as they evolved throughout Angkor time. There’s also a collection of ancient jewellery and headdresses. It’s clever segue to the final room – the gift shop where upscale imitations of these fashions abound.

It’s 12 USD to enter the museum plus another $3 if you want to bring in your camera and another $ 3 for an educational headset, Sadly. Like ticketing and management of the Angkor park. The museum is owned and run by a private company, so restoration (though what the company paid for the concession might) still it’s perhaps better than these artifacts remaining in the hands of private collectors. A connected mall is still under construction but has a few open stores.  Including a Blue Pumpkin satellite,  several souvenir shops and the sure sign of apocalypse.

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Recently Guest Booking:

Guest Name: Karol Gawryszewski
Country: Poland
City: Gdansk
Travel Date: 29/02/2024
Arrival By: Air
Tour Name: Special Angkor Tour 3 Days Option 2 (3days with Tuk Tuk Driver)