Cambodia War Museum: Get Introduced to the Country’s Civil War

Bordered by countries like Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand, Cambodia is a country located in the Southeast Asia. Around 116 million people live in this country where Buddhism religion is quite prevalent. When you see this country, you will say that it is quite prosperous and upbeat. However, the past was not so peaceful. It has witnessed a lot of slavery and violence due to war.

Cambodia War Museum

About War Museum Cambodia

The War Museum Cambodia is situated in Siem Reap. It was established in the year 2001.This museum has been set up to preserve the memories of the civil war.

War Museum Cambodia has an amazing collection of war machines. Along with that, you will see a lot of machines and weapons used in World War II. Along with these, War Museum Cambodia also features a number of photos and landmines which will take you to the war times.

If you want a real insight into the history of Cambodia, then you can’t miss talking about War Museum Cambodia. It is the biggest museum in the country. It shows you the entire hazard that the country went through during the war that took place in the last three decades. While walking through War Museum Cambodia, you will feel like you have gone to the time of war years. You will get to know the war devastated the country and how it courageously rose from the ashes.

During the 20th century the country has went through a lot. From turmoil of war to occupation by the Japanese to political instability, it has witnessed that all. During the period of 1975 to 1979 Cambodia was confounded by a rural communist guerrilla movement in the reign of the Khmer Rouge. At least 1.5 million lives were lost. It was a huge tragedy, which still haunts Cambodia.

Some More on War Museum Cambodia

Weapons Used in World War II

This museum is very popular among locals as well as tourists for its unique collection war related things. The collection consists of the things gathered in 1999 from war places such as Siem Reap, Anlong Veng, Odor Meanchey. Its hardware comes from China, US, and Soviet Union.

From Tank T-54 to the jet fighter aircraft MiG-19 to the helicopter Mil Mi – 8 and the field artillery gun 85 to small arms like M16 or AK- 47 to powerful machine guns like the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), War Museum Cambodia has a number of magnificent war machines.

The specialty of this amazing collection is that a few of these war guns is that they have a historical depth and carry the essence of the war. All these amazing machines make you instantly get into the vibes of the past.

Want to see a rocket launcher for real? If yes, then you should visit War Museum Cambodia.

And guess what! You will find flags, uniforms, and rare photographs from the war period. There are a lot of things related to the war like these that you will witness there.

Things to Do at War Museum Cambodia

War Museum Cambodia is not only a historic place, but now it has become a center of attraction in Cambodia. So, if you want to explore this place, then you can:

Take a guided tour

The best way to explore War Museum Cambodia is to take a guided tour. A guide will be pretty helpful in knowing war relics like rifles, machines guns, and war related machines. The guide will let you know about several real life stories behind all those photographs that are hanging on the walls of War Museum Cambodia. Do you want it the best part about this tour? It is absolutely free of cost. Great, isn’t it?

Visit the onsite grounds

Visiting the onsite grounds is one activity that is one of the best experiences you will get during your visit to the War Museum Cambodia. It will amaze you to see all those heavy and huge tanks from the actual battlefield. Nothing can give you goose bumps in this museum than watching those war machines that helped Cambodians to defeat their foes.

How to Reach War Museum Cambodia

War Museum in Cambodia is conveniently accessible from Downtown area as this is located about 4 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of downtown so you can take a Rented Car/Taxi or there is an option of taking a tuktuk as well. It is 3.34 km (2 mi) from the Angkor International Airport.

Transportation Fare from Siem Reap

•   TukTuk – 2 – 3 USD (per person)
•   Distance from Downtown Area - 6 km
•   Time take by taxi - 14 minutes
•   Time taken by walk - 1 hour 5 minutes

Times & Ticket:

•   Opening times : 8am to 5:30pm (Open Daily)
•   Prices: $5 foreign visitors and $1 for Cambodians
•   Facilities: free guide, wifi, parking, photographing and filming (included in ticket)
•   Payment Mode: Only cash (No credit cards accepted)
•   Note: They do not have an ATM, so it is better to bring cash along.
•   Address: Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia