The Champasak Provincial Museum is the main cultural institution in Pakse, housed in a colonial-era building near the centre of town. Its collection spans prehistoric artefacts from the region, Khmer-period bronzes and stone carvings, and ethnographic material from the many ethnic groups of southern Laos. English-language labels are present throughout, if sometimes sparse.
The Khmer collection is the museum's strongest element, with pieces that document the culture that built Wat Phu — lintels, ceramics, and metalwork spanning several centuries of occupation. There is also material on the French colonial period, including early photographs of Pakse and the surrounding province. It is a modest museum but a worthwhile stop before or after visiting Wat Phu, giving context to what you will see at the temple complex.