The 2 museums in Siem Reap you shouldn't miss!

The city of Siem Reap, the guardian of the Angkor temples, has been widely known to Western tourists since its handover by the Siamese kingdom to Cambodia in 1907. For 113 years now, this city has become legendary due to its proximity to the world’s largest religious structure: Angkor Wat. This myth was shaped by Western explorers who returned with the idea of a city abandoned in the jungle that they had rediscovered.

Travelers, of course, know Siem Reap mainly because of Angkor, not the other way around. The tourist offerings in Cambodia's third-largest city, after Phnom Penh and Battambang, are invariably linked to the archaeological site, which is over 1200 years old. But that doesn’t mean that other tourist activities are impossible in Siem Reap, far from it. For party-goers, a lively and colorful nightlife thrives in the city center near Pub Street, while curious foodies can enjoy numerous restaurants offering dishes from various origins. The centuries-old city also has two museums worth visiting. One introduces you to the discovery of the temples, and the other, entirely separate from that, provides insight into an aspect of the region's history.

The Angkor National Museum

Discover eight themed galleries within this majestic complex, located just a few dozen meters from the Grand Hotel d'Angkor. This location is symbolic, as the museum is situated at the beginning of the Charles de Gaulle Boulevard, which leads straight to Angkor Wat and the Angkor archaeological site in general.

The museum is the perfect place to visit before heading to Angkor. You will learn more about 1500 years of Khmer civilization history, from the establishment of the Funan kingdom in the 1st century AD, to the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century. The Angkorian period represents more than half of this history. The city of Angkor Thom, the great rulers, religion, and many other topics are thoroughly covered within the walls of the Angkor National Museum. A complete and thorough visit takes between 3 and 5 hours and will help you better understand the context of what you'll see at Angkor and grasp its importance.

The Landmine Museum

On National Route 67, heading towards Banteay Srei, there is a museum that is both disturbing and moving. The Landmine Museum was founded by a former Khmer Rouge soldier, recruited by the Angkar in 1975 at the age of 10, who was later retrained in demining by the Vietnamese after the liberation of Cambodia. He wanted to help those who had been maimed or affected by these devastating explosives. The full extent of their role in the country's recent history and their danger is explained here, most likely by the person who knows more about them than anyone else in Cambodia today.

Reviews of this museum are highly enthusiastic, and you will leave it profoundly changed, with a completely different perspective on the country.