Puri Lukisan Museum, Ubud: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Puri Lukisan Museum

According to Wikipedia, the Pitamaha Artist Cooperative was founded in 1936 by Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, King of Ubud, and his brother Tjokorda Gde Raka Sukawati, with Western artists Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet. The Ratna Wartha Foundation was created in 1953 to continue the work and led to the museum's founding.

Construction began with a first stone laid on 31 January 1954, and the museum was opened in 1956 by Indonesia's Minister of Education and Culture, Mohammad Yamin.

Useful facts

Puri Lukisan Museum facts at a glance

Location

Central Ubud, Gianyar Regency

Experience type

Garden art museum

Known for

Pitamaha-era Balinese painting and carving

Founders

Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati and Rudolf Bonnet

Opened

1956

Why it matters

Why Puri Lukisan Museum is worth your time

Puri Lukisan is the story of how Ubud became a centre of art, told through the works themselves. The Pitamaha cooperative of 1936 aimed to protect and advance traditional Balinese art, and the museum grew from that effort. Walking its galleries shows how painters moved from temple decoration to personal scenes.

It matters too as a collaboration between Balinese rulers and foreign artists. The founders included the king of Ubud and the Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet, and the museum remains an example of how outside interest and local craft shaped each other.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Four galleries

   Pitamaha, Ida Bagus Made, Wayang and Founders galleries show different periods.

2. 02

   Garden setting

   Shaded paths link the buildings.

3. 03

   Lempad and Nyana

   Works by major Balinese painters are included.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Walk through the gardens first to cool down, then enter the galleries. Four buildings house different collections: the Pitamaha Gallery, the Ida Bagus Made Gallery, the Wayang Gallery and the Founders Gallery. Look for how subject matter shifts from temple scenes and mythology to daily village life.

The museum shows works from the Sanur, Batuan, Ubud, Young Artist and Keliki schools, with artists including Ida Bagus Nyana and I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. Rather than reading every label, pick a few paintings and look at the detail: crowded ceremonies, animals and trees fill every corner of the picture.

The museum is a short walk from Ubud Palace and the market, so it fits easily into a morning on foot. Rest in the garden afterwards.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Central Ubud, near Jalan Raya Ubud

Time needed

1 to 1.5 hours

Best time

Morning or a hot afternoon

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

Garden paths and galleries are mostly level with a few steps; shaded and calmer than the street. Benches in the gardens.

Tickets and access

Entry is ticketed; check current hours and fees on the official site.

Plan it with

FAQs