Temple stonework in Cambodia
Phnom Penh

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)

Anyone trying to understand modern Cambodia

Memorials and historyType
In short

Tuol Sleng was a secondary school in Phnom Penh that the Khmer Rouge converted into Security Prison 21, where thousands were detained and interrogated between 1975 and 1979. It is now a genocide museum, preserved largely as it was found. The prison records held here were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World register in 2009.

Checked

September 2026

Part of Heritage
At a glance

Visiting

Where
Boeung Keng Kang, central Phnom Penh
Time needed
Two hours, and you will want the audio guide
With
Choeung Ek, usually as one half-day; do Tuol Sleng first, it is the chronological order
Suitable for
Older teenagers and adults; this is not a visit for young children
Check
Confirm current opening hours and ticket price before you go

Questions travellers ask

Should I use the audio guide?
Yes. It is narrated by survivors and it is the difference between walking through rooms and understanding them.
Is photography allowed?
In most areas, but people are mourning here. The rule that matters is not the sign, it is the room.
Can I do this and Choeung Ek in one morning?
Yes, and most visitors do. Leave the afternoon clear afterwards - people rarely feel like sightseeing straight after.
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