Inside the National Museum of Cambodia

According to information supplied by Director Touch "The Museum is better described as a building enlarged from Cambodian temple prototypes seen on ancient bas-reliefs and reinterpreted through colonial eyes to meet museum-size requirements. "The foundation stone was laid on 15. Aug. 1917 and completed in about two and half years. The dedication was held on the Cambodian New Year Celebration of 13. April 1920.
The first Cambodian to direct the museum was Chea Thay Sing in 1966. It was closed from 1975-1979 during the Khmer Rouge regime. For years the building was infested with bats, and until 2003 it housed the world's largest bat enclave inside a man-made structure.