National Museum of Cambodia hosts Photo Phnom Penh from 22 October

National Museum of Cambodia and Photo Phnom Penh come together in Phnom Penh from 22 October to 22 November 2026, with the museum hosting Configurations during the city-wide photography festival. The building, known locally in Khmer, is one of eleven venues in the 17th edition, which is organised by the Photo Phnom Penh Association under the theme At Home in the World.

Photo Phnom Penh brings Configurations to the museum

The festival begins on 22 October 2026 and continues until 22 November 2026. The organiser lists National Museum of Cambodia among the venues for exhibitions running throughout that period, alongside the French Embassy, Bophana, Friends Futures Factory, Hiroshima House Cambodia, Institut français du Cambodge, Lumière, Studio Images, Techo International Airport, tiSamjort and Vann Molyvann House. The organiser’s 2026 programme also identifies the festival’s opening days as 22 to 25 October.

At the museum, Configurations is presented by Luxembourg-based artists Pasha Rafiy and Daniel Wagener. The programme names Danièle Igniti and Paul Di Felice as curators. Rafiy’s photographs place people at a distance within familiar surroundings, while Wagener’s work turns towards plants in the city, from small shoots to large trees. The exhibition therefore sets contemporary photographic work beside a museum whose permanent collections document Cambodian artistic traditions.

George Groslier’s 1920 building meets new photography

George Groslier designed the museum building, drawing on Cambodian temple prototypes and traditional Khmer architectural forms. The foundation stone was laid on 15 August 1917, and the completed museum was inaugurated on 13 April 1920. Extensions added wings to the eastern facade in 1924, changing the original design while retaining its central architectural language.

The museum’s history gives the festival exhibition a specific setting rather than a neutral gallery backdrop. Its collections include sculpture, ceramics and ethnographic objects from prehistoric, pre-Angkorian, Angkorian and post-Angkorian periods, while the building itself was constructed between 1917 and 1924. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts says the institution is responsible for exhibiting, safeguarding and interpreting Cambodian cultural material, and that it operates under the Cambodian Department of Museums. Its official museum history records a reopening on 13 April 1979 after its closure between 1975 and 1979.

Eleven venues connect Phnom Penh through photography

Photo Phnom Penh 2026 extends beyond a single exhibition. The programme includes indoor exhibitions, public installations, screenings, workshops, portfolio reviews and lectures across the capital. Its collective curatorial team includes Marie Le Mounier, Moeng Meta, Isabelle Le Minh, Sovan Philong and Sam I-shan.

The museum’s exhibition is one part of that wider structure. At other venues, the programme includes family photographs, historical images, contemporary Cambodian photography and work addressing plants, homes, memory and urban life. A full 2026 exhibition list places Configurations in the same 22 October to 22 November period as the festival’s main exhibition programme.

Visiting National Museum of Cambodia: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Photo Phnom Penh runs from 22 October to 22 November 2026, and Configurations is listed at National Museum of Cambodia for that period.
• The museum is a festival venue, while the wider programme includes exhibitions and public events at ten other Phnom Penh locations.
• The museum is bordered by Street 178 to the north, Street 13 to the east and Street 184 to the south, in central Phnom Penh.
• The building combines traditional Khmer architectural references with a design by George Groslier and later extensions from 1924.
• The official language of Cambodia is Khmer and the national currency is the riel.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about National Museum of Cambodia

When does Photo Phnom Penh take place at National Museum of Cambodia?

The festival runs from 22 October to 22 November 2026, with Configurations listed at the museum during that period.

What is National Museum of Cambodia?

It is a Phnom Penh museum of Cambodian cultural material, including sculpture, ceramics and ethnographic objects from prehistoric to post-Angkorian periods.

Where is National Museum of Cambodia and how do you get there?

The museum is in central Phnom Penh, bordered by Street 178, Street 13 and Street 184.