CATALYST
DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE ONLINE MAGAZINE
Building Bridges Through Culture and Understanding
Cambodian Community Joins the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to Close "Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia"
Member of the Cambodian community at the closing event for "Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia." (Photo/ Nikki Parker)
Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious monuments in the world and is a symbol of both national pride and has deep spiritual meaning for Cambodians and the Khmer culture. When the Denver Museum of Nature & Science set out to host “Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia” the team knew this exhibition required a different approach.
The question arose: How would the Cambodian community be engaged and involved?
The Museum put together a team from various departments, and staff members started reaching out to contacts they had made through previous outreach efforts. The process of getting introduced to Cambodians living in Denver, mapping out the important organizations and community leaders who they needed to start building relationships with took several months, and culminated with blessing ceremonies to open the exhibition in February.
Read more: Honoring Khmer Heritage | The Blessing Ceremonies That Opened ‘Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia’
One of the key community leaders who helped the Museum host the blessing ceremonies was Tony Oum, an active member of the Cambodian Buddhist of Colorado and a respected voice in Denver’s Cambodian American community.
To mark the exhibition’s closing this past week, the Museum invited the Cambodian community for a final gathering to tour the gallery and view the documentary in the giant screen Infinity Theater "Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia." Following the documentary viewing event, Catalyst sat down to speak with Tony to hear his reflections on the impact of the exhibition and the cultural partnership that grew from it here at the Museum.
Cambodian community leader Tony Oum poses at the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia. (Photo courtesy of Tony Oum)
Q: Why was it important for you and the Cambodian community to see "Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia" presented here in Denver?
A: It was important to see the documentary as it showcases the rich Cambodian history that few people know about in the world. The Khmer civilization is one of the oldest in the world and we need to promote the culture as much as we can as it can be easily lost by dominating culture around the world. We also wanted to support our community by support our culture and heritage.
Q: The Museum collaborated with the Cambodian community to open and close the exhibition. Do you believe this collaboration strengthened cultural understanding and connection? If so, in what ways?
A: It strengthened the cultural understanding and connection. It allowed the Cambodian community to have a voice and allowed the community to showcase the cultural heritage and traditions. We built good rapport with the DMNS and various stakeholders in the Denver community, both Asian and non-Asian communities. The collaboration also allows us to build a stronger relationship for any future opportunities whether it is cultural celebrations or support of other various communities. This exhibit has put our community and our temple on the map as a resource and we greatly appreciate the partnership.
Q: What lasting impact or opportunities do you hope will continue to grow from the relationship between the Museum and the Cambodian community?
A: We look forward to collaborating with the museum with any future events or exhibits. We hope to see more Khmer exhibits in the future so we can promote our culture in Denver and the Rocky Mountain regions of the US. As well as having more people in our communities visit our temple so we can continually educate and share our cultural heritage.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to reflect on or share about your experience at yesterday’s community gathering?
A: It was an amazing and touching documentary that was very well put together. We greatly appreciate DMNS willingness to work with our community and we look forward to strengthening our relationship for many years to come. Please let us know on how we can collaborate and grow our relationship as we see it as an opportunity for our community to grow and obtain more resources.
Cambodian community members in "Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia" temporary exhibition on its closing day, Aug. 24, 2025. (Photo Nikki Parker)
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