Many, if not most people in Cambodia have first or second-hand accounts of the Khmer Rouge period, and some may share them with you when you visit, especially if you are taking a tour run by a local (which we would recommend you to do). Those are the people who should tell you what happened, not us. This is why the aim of this post is not to describe the horrors, politics or history of the Khmer Rouge or the genocide that went along with it, but to act as a brief guide to help you prepare for your visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum as a non-local. 

The aim of this article is to help you understand what you should expect from a visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh before you go. It will not explain the content of what is there, but give an explanation of what you will see, and an overview of our experience. There also won’t be any photos in this post. There are pictures elsewhere online if you’d like a visual, but for us it didn’t feel right to take photos in the museum, partly due to the subject matter, and also partly to respect the privacy of other visitors whilst they process what is bound to be an emotional visit, regardless of background. 

Scroll to the end for the TL;DR.

What is at the museum?

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is less a museum in the traditional sense, and more of a place of remembrance. The buildings that house the museum were, previous to Pol Pot’s regime, a high school. This is obvious in the layout of the buildings in long rows of classrooms and green central courtyards. The high school was, however, repurposed by the regime as a prison or ‘security centre’, and became known as ‘S-21’.

What to expect inside

The original layout of the high school is largely unchanged, bar a few additional cell walls in some areas added during the Khmer Rouge. Elements of the cells are often left inside, such as the metal bed frames, or the metal rings for shackles set into the floor. Other rooms have been used to display some of the numerous photographs and other documentation recorded by the regime. 

As poignantly noted on the audioguide by an Australian professor, totalitarian regimes seem to have an obsession with documentation, which is evident in the museum, which also houses further evidence in the archives in one of the buildings. Other rooms still show paintings by S-21 survivor and artist Vann Nath, who used his artistic talent to document the horrors he witnessed during his time at S-21, and personal stories of people who were detained at S-21. The archives have been extensively digitised for preservation and research, and can be viewed online here: https://archives.tuolsleng.gov.kh/.

Audioguide/ personal guide

Unless you have arranged a guide in advance, or visit the museum as part of a tour, you will be offered an audioguide, or personal guide when you buy your ticket at the door. Both are the same price (the entry is $5 for non-Cambodian visitors, and either guide is an additional $5). You definitely need one or the other, as there is little written information inside the museum, but so many stories to hear. 

We opted for an audioguide. This was mainly as we felt we wanted to take the experience at our own pace. It is an emotional and harrowing visit, and sometimes it was made easier to digest by being able to take breaks, or listen to parts of the audioguide outside in the gardens. However, we also heard some of the guides in passing as we walked around the site, and their tours give a more personalised account of the time period. For example, one guide was sharing his own mother’s story. This might be a better way of understanding how the events of the time continue to affect the people of Cambodia, and is also a testament to their resilience.

How much time to spend at the museum

In order to listen to the majority of the audioguide, or to have the guided tour, you will need at least 1.5-2 hours at the museum. It is common to take a combined tour of the killing fields near the city with the museum, in which case this will likely be a half day tour. Upon arrival, you will be given a leaflet containing a map of the site alongside the corresponding audioguide stops. There is a route for visitors short on time (if you only have an hour or so to spend there), but allowing more time will give you the opportunity to explore and digest the experience.

Our experience

We visited the Tuol Sleng after a few days in Cambodia, having heard some first and second-hand accounts of experiences from our guides connected to the Khmer Rouge, which somewhat prepared us for some of the stories we heard inside. Despite this, the rawness of being in a place which in some areas is largely unchanged since the atrocities that were committed merely 50 years ago is undeniable, and the sickening, heart-wrenching feeling of standing in the same place in which so many suffered cannot be entirely prepared for.

I was also surprised by the moving artwork of Vann Nath. His impressionistic brushwork lends a surprising beauty to the horrors he depicts. They also offer a glimpse into his memory which fills in gaps where even the thousands of photographs taken as part of the documentation of the regime cannot cover. Even writing this now, a few weeks after our visit, the artwork has stayed imprinted on my mind even more than the words and photographs.

Finally, there are personal stories recorded and used in the audioguide. Some from survivors, some from family members. These are optional but highly recommended. Some tell of pain or of hope, but all felt important to listen to. In amongst so many almost clinical photographs, the human voice is a necessary reminder of the real people behind the larger narrative.

Overall takeaways

Though it is difficult to say that the experience at Tuol Sleng is enjoyable, it is certainly an important visit if you’re planning on spending time in Cambodia. Being in the museum itself provides a deeper understanding of Cambodia’s recent dark past, and how its lasting effects are still impacting the country today. As a foreigner, it is difficult to comprehend the reality of all that was lost, but visiting the museum may open the door to empathy and understanding that will help you connect with the local people and environment as you travel around Cambodia.

TL;DR

• The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is an important stop on your journey through Cambodia
• The museum is at the S-21 ‘security centre’ run by the Khmer Rouge, but before that it was a high school
• You can take an audioguide or a personal guide, which are the same price, and choose your option at the door when you buy your ticket
• You will need at least 1.5-2 hours to fully experience the museum, though a shorter route is available