SOSORO - Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum — Attraction in Khan Daun Penh

SOSORO Museum is one of Phnom Penh’s must-visit cultural institutions, offering a fascinating journey through Cambodia’s economic and political history. Housed in a historic protectorate-style building, it has served various roles—from the town hall residence in 1908 to the Phnom Penh municipality in 1920—before becoming the Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of Economy and Money in 2012.

Designed to provide a deeper understanding of Cambodia’s historical evolution, the museum highlights the intricate connections between money, economics, and politics. Spanning 2,000 years from the Funan period to the present day, the exhibition is divided into twelve modules, allowing visitors to explore history at their own pace. The museum features an impressive collection of artifacts, display panels, and multimedia presentations that bring each era to life.

With a sleek and modern interior, SOSORO incorporates interactive elements such as audiovisual documentaries, video games, and touchscreens. These features encourage visitors to engage actively with the exhibits, helping them grasp the mechanisms of economic development and Cambodia’s path to independence and sovereignty.

The entrance fee for foreigners is $5, with an additional $3 for an audio guide, while locals can visit for just $1. Photography is not permitted inside, but special permission can be requested. After the visit, guests can unwind at the museum’s cozy café and relax in the small garden at the back.

Overall, SOSORO Museum is an insightful and well-curated destination, perfect for those interested in Cambodia’s rich history and its economic transformations. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or a curious traveler, it offers an educational and engaging experience that...

Interesting museum that tells the monetary history of Cambodia with educational economics exhibitions at the end (which is at the level of an Introductory Economics course - fractional reserve banking, money cycle, etc).

My only gripe is that I don't necessarily agree with the interpretation being presented as fact here. The convenient narrative that the lack of state money caused instability? Excuse me, but this is not a unique situation with multiple currencies (even bimetallism) being used throughout history. In flourishing trading ports, merchants have always bartered or used currencies from across the ancient world. And even today, Cambodians seem perfectly fine operating with multiple currencies - heck, the museum ticket was even quoted in USD. Fiat money is what has assailed our freedoms and liberties, and given the State the power to reduce the value of our holdings through the printing presses. This could never have occurred when the peoples were using commodities or metal. The educational exhibits were heavily Keynesian, which seems unfortunately to dominate economic institutions today. A deeply flawed and dangerous ideology that puts the State at the centre of our lives. Money is fundamental to societies, and the elite has controlled the narrative that they alone (instead of the market) should decide the value of what we own through interest rates and money printing, often done by an "independent" central bank operating outside the...

I found this as a tourist highly fascinating and really worthwhile. Tickets for foreigners are $5 usd, but the whole museum is filled with English displays that tell the story of how money and history intertwine all the way from the Khmer empire to modern times. They also answered a few really interesting questions I had when coming to Cambodia for the first time, such as 1. How the Cambodian riel came into existence and it's high rate of inflation over the years. 2. what the very first currency was in recent times, and how that was introduced during the French colonisation. 3. The difficulties faced living in a society with no currency, something the Cambodians had to deal with over and over again. 4. Why and how the dollar was introduced. They also have dozens of videos depicting real life pictures and videos of the lives Cambodians faced in the 20th century, alongside how money was affected by the history. Alongside interactive displays at the end, and a place to sit and listen to modern economic challenges the Cambodians face today, including the rise of tourism, it took me a good 2.5 hours to explore. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience Cambodian history through a...