Unique Museum in Cambodia

The War Museum in Siem Reap is the only War Museum in Cambodia. It offers visitors a unique and insightful view of the perils that Cambodia faced during the last 3 decades of the 20th century. It gives also visitors an excellent opportunity to learn more about what actually occured during Cambodia’s ‘war years’.

– It has a unique collection, you will also be able to see war machines like the tank T-54,  the jet fighter aircraft MiG-19, the helicopter Mil Mi-8 and the field artillery gun 85-mm divisional gun D-44. Before used in Cambodia, some of these war machines have even seen action during World War II. Among the collection there are also many sorts of landmines and rare photographs from the defined period of time in Cambodia.

– You can take a free guide to lead you around. Each of the guides has his own unique background: war veterans, eye witnesses of the war and landmine victims. Therefore, not only they could tell you about the last 3 decades of the 20th century history of Cambodia and about the collection of the museum, but also about their personnal experiences during the defined period of time.

– You can hold small arms, from a M16 or a AK-47 (Kalashnikov) till a machine gun like the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). You can even hold a rocket launcher! Before used in Cambodia, some of these guns have even seen action during World War II.

History of Siem Reap War Museum

In February 2001 the Siem Reap War Museum was built in partnership with the Ministry of National Defense on more than 2 hectares of land. In 2013 the name of the museum changed from Siem Reap War Museum into War Museum Cambodia. The museum covers the last three decades of the 20th century when the Khmer Rouge was active in Cambodia, making use of guides whom are war veterans who fought for the Cambodian army, the Khmer Rouge or the Vietnamese army.

The Collections of Cambodia War Museum

There is a vast array of vehicles, artillery, weaponry and equipment on display, such as a T-54 main battle tank, a Shenyang F-6 fighter, a Mil Mi-8 helicopter and the D-44 85mm field-artillery gun. The collection on display was gathered since 1999 from provinces in which the most savage fighting of the Cambodian Civil War took place (Siem Reap and Odor Meanchey) and is a mix of Chinese, American and Soviet hardware. Competition from scrap dealers was not the only problem the museum faced as it gathered its collection: most of the machinery was very heavy and it was difficult to gain access to dense jungle areas to remove the items. Before being used during the various conflicts that raged across Cambodia, some of the war machines have seen action during World War II. Among the collection there are also many sorts of landmines and photographs from the defined period of time in Cambodia.

In this museum visitors are allowed to hold small arms, from a M16 or an AK-47 (Kalashnikov), machine guns like the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) or rocket launchers (all have been deactivated).