Angkor Panorama Museum
The Angkor Panorama Museum is located in Siem Reap, the largest historical city in Cambodia. Situated within the Angkor historic complex, this museum aims to honor the historical value of the Khmer and Angkorian civilizations. It serves as a sanctuary, proudly protecting detailed and comprehensive information about ancient civilizations. During your visit, the art and historical exhibits inside the museum will undoubtedly make you feel as if you are reliving that era.
History
The Angkor Panorama Museum was constructed between 2011 and 2015. With a budget of over 24 million dollars, its construction was financed by the North Korean government. For over four years, more than 64 artists, including a North Korean artist from the Mansudae Art Studio, collaborated on this massive project.
The museum was officially inaugurated on December 4, 2015, in the presence of Sok An, the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia.
Visiting the Angkor Panorama Museum
The museum covers a construction area of approximately 6,115 m². It is a grand monumental building whose architecture is inspired by Khmer architectural style.
The Angkor Panorama Museum houses a true cultural heritage for the Siem Reap region. It is often considered the world's only encyclopedia providing information on Cambodian civilization before, during, and after the Angkorian period. The building preserves the history of the Angkorian temples and the Khmer Empire, the largest empire of the Cambodian kingdom. To do so, the museum features various types of exhibitions, including a topographical model, mural paintings, touchscreens, and projections.
To better understand these ancient civilizations, it is recommended to first visit the information room, which prioritizes providing you with the best understanding. It is equipped with touchscreens that store detailed information about the Angkorian temples. The room includes data about 55 temples and 25 Angkorian kings, listed alphabetically.
To recreate key events from the site’s history, the museum also has a large theater with 204 seats. The films shown are based on historical facts from these periods. These are 3D animated films of 20 minutes each that depict the construction and progress of the Angkor Wat temple.
Primarily built to showcase the Angkorian empire, the museum presents a topographical model of the 25 major temples in the Angkor site. This miniature reproduction closely mirrors the topography of the temple locations, revealing the architectural history of their constructions. By viewing the relief model, you can easily identify all the names of the temples in the model.
Additionally, the museum houses three large panoramic paintings in the main hall, which is the origin of the museum’s name. These masterpieces represent the formation and the prosperous era of the majestic Angkor Empire. Measuring 122.6 meters in length and 12.9 meters in height, these panoramic paintings are among the largest artistic works ever created in the world.
Featuring over 45,000 characters, the paintings represent three different scenes from the Angkorian empire. The first scene, "Construction Strategy," depicts the building of the Bayon temple as envisioned by Emperor Jayavarman VII. The second scene, "Defense Strategy," showcases a Khmer battle and war theater. The third and final scene, "Prosperity Period," illustrates the joyful and happy daily life of the Khmer people.
How to get there?
Located just a few hundred meters from the center of Siem Reap, the museum is easily accessible by tuk-tuk, bicycle, or taxi. You can hire these forms of transport from the city to reach the site.
Hours
The museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Entrance to the museum area is free. However, to visit the panoramic paintings and attend the film projection, you must proceed to the entrance.
