Sonobudoyo Museum

Learn and Appreciate Javanese Culture in Sonobudoyo Museum

Yogyakarta is known as Javanese cultural centre. It has been the centre of Javanese civilization from the past in early of Ancient Mataram Kingdom until present in 21th century. In Yogyakarta you can find many Javanese cultures and traditions that still exist today, those are such as: wayang, wooden mask and batik. Therefore, it will be nice for you, if you try to see and learn Javanese culture and tradition when you visit Yogyakarta.

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Sonobudoyo Museum is a cultural museum that is located in Yogyakarta. It's located in the north side of Yogyakarta Sultanate Palace. It's situated in two locations, the first building is in Trikora Street in the north of Alun Alun Lor Yogyakarta, the second location is in Wijilan area in the east side of Alun Alun Lor. The main museum is the building that located in the Trikora Street, while the second museum building is in Wijilan area and used to showing additional museum collection.  

The museum is easily accessible due to its strategic location. It's located between the straight line of popular tourism attractions in Yogyakarta, such as: Malioboro Street, Vredeburg Fort and Yogyakrta Sultanate Palace. It's located less than one kilometre away from Yogyakarta Sultanate Palace or Vredeburg Fort, which is means you can walk to reach this museum from both places. If you are not prefers to walk, there are also some options to use becak or andhong to reach this museum.

Sonobudoyo Museum was firstly open for public in 6 November 1935. The establishment of this museum was started at 1934 and led by a Dutch architect Ir. Karsten. The establishment of this museum was the project from Java Institute, an institute that concerned to collect, preserve and develop Javanese culture. Sonobudoyo museum was established as place to preserve and show the collection that has been discovered by this institute. The purpose of this museum was symbolized in the museum name, “sono” means place and “budoyo” means culture, so this museum means as a place of culture.  

Sonobudoyo Museum is known as museum that has many collections related to Javanese culture. It has more than 43.000 collections related to the Javanese history and culture. Those collections varies from several historical period, started from pre-historic in Java, Hinduism and Buddhism period, Islamic period, until colonial period in Java. The collection type on this museum also varies from weapon, ceramic, old manuscript, old article, stamp, money, stone statue, sculpture and many others priceless collection.      

The museum building is divided into several rooms based on its collections. Museum rooms are divided into several theme rooms that show certain collection themes. Those rooms are such as: pendopo room, introduction room, batik room, Islamic and classic room, prehistory room, gold room, mask room, Central Java room, Bali room and wayang room. The themes of collection rooms are basically based on two things, historical period or type of collection. The example of collection room that has historical period based theme is such as: prehistory room that shows collection that is related to prehistory period in Java. In other side, some collection room based on its collection type, for the example: batik room shows collection about batik, wayang room shows collection that is related to wayang, gold room that shows collection made from gold. With this collection room division, visitor can more easily understand about collection in each room.

Beside, varies collections on the museum, Sonobudoyo Museum also offers another activity. At night, when the museum has closed, it has wayang kulit performance on the museum complex. Wayang kulit is shadow puppets theatre that is commonly played in Java and Bali area. The usual wayang performance mainly played during the whole night, with more than six hours of performance. But, in Sonobudoyo Museum you can see the performance in shorter duration. It's usually take only two hours for this short wayang performance. You just need to come to the museum complex and pay the performance ticket for Rp20.000 and you will be able to see wayang performance. It will be started at 20.00 until 22.00 and can be a nice way to spend night in Yogyakarta