Prior to ending our tour of the Royal Palace, Osang, Violet, Jandy and I visited a number of exhibition halls. The multi-purpose White Elephant room, located just outside the palace’s southeast wall, was traditionally used for special regal occasions including Royal births, deaths or weddings. The sacred white elephant is the most auspicious and revered symbol of royal beneficence. Here, we saw lines of ornate, gold-adorned chairs that elephants carried royals on.
The Showroom of Royal Palanquins and Bossabok displays royal palanquins used by Cambodian kings and queens as they are paraded around the city as well as bossaboks (traditional Khmer-style thrones).
The Elephant Boxes Showroom in Gold, Silver, Brass, Marble and Wood has wood and glass display cases filled with elephant figurines, of various sizes, made with gold, silver, brass, marble and wood.
The second floor, airconditioned Showroom of Royal Dancers Ornaments (Preah Kossamak) has wood and glass display cases exhibiting Royal Palace documents; royal dinner sets and silverware; utensils; medals; and dance costumes, musical instruments and ornaments of the Royal Dancers.
There is also a model of a typical, 2-storey traditional Khmer house, an exhibit of.photos of recent Royal Processions and a model of the King’s inauguration procession.
Royal Palace: Samdach Sothearos Blvd., Phnom Penh. Open daily, 8 to 11 AM and 2 to 5 PM.