The Angkor Panorama Museum, opened in 2015, houses a 360-degree cylindrical panoramic painting of the Angkor Wat complex measuring 120 metres in circumference and 12 metres high — one of the largest circular paintings in Southeast Asia. The artwork was produced by North Korean artists under a state-to-state agreement between Cambodia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and covers the temple's history from its construction through to its rediscovery and restoration. The scale is genuinely impressive, even if the painting style is somewhat socialist-realist in character.
The museum is located a few kilometres east of the town centre on the road towards the airport. Entry is free or heavily subsidised by the North Korean government, which has made the museum a point of bilateral cultural diplomacy. Critics note the geopolitical oddity of North Korean artists producing Cambodia's prestige tourist attraction, but the sheer ambition of the circular painting format makes it worth a brief stop, especially for those who want a visual overview of Angkor before visiting the temples. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.