Puri Lukisan means "palace of paintings", and the name tells you the plan. This museum on Jl Raya Ubud keeps Balinese art inside a garden, so you walk outdoors between the galleries. It is one of the places where the story of Ubud as an art town is easiest to follow.
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Visiting Puri Lukisan Museum
| Type | Museums |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Mo-Su 9:00 – 17:00 |
| Price | Rp 40,000 |
| Getting there | On Jl Raya Ubud, in Ubud |
| Address | Jl Raya Ubud |
| Official site | http://www.museumpurilukisan.com/ |
| Map | Open the map |
The collection covers classic Balinese painting, modern work and carved wooden figures. You see how village scenes, myths and daily life became subjects for local painters. The museum is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, and entry is Rp 40,000. It is a calm stop in a busy street.
Paintings and carvings worth slowing down for
Start with the painting. Balinese canvases are often crowded, with rice fields, temple festivals, spirits and animals filling every corner. Look at the edges of each work, because small scenes hide there: a farmer at work, a monkey in a tree, a dancer waiting to enter.
Look for the wood carvings too. Carving is as old a craft in Ubud as painting, and the figures show the same eye for movement and detail. Stand close, then step back. The finish on a good piece is easy to miss at a glance.
How Ubud became a home for painters
The museum was built around a simple idea: local artists should have a place to show their work. Balinese painters worked with foreign artists who settled in the Ubud area, among them Rudolf Bonnet, and the Ubud royal family supported the effort. The result was a new wave of Balinese painting, with fresh subjects and a freer hand.
That history gives the rooms their thread. You can see older, formal styles beside later work that turns to ordinary village life. Read the labels as you go, and the shift from temple and epic scenes toward everyday scenes starts to show.
Garden paths and open halls
The setting is half the pleasure. The museum sits in a garden, and the galleries are separate buildings joined by walks. Between rooms you step outside, which keeps a long look at paintings from feeling heavy.
The grounds sit on Jl Raya Ubud, a main street of the town, yet the garden feels set apart from it. Take a bench break between halls. It is a good place to rest after walking Ubud's busy streets.
Other art stops within reach of the museum
Ubud Palace is the natural neighbour, and it makes a good pairing because the town's art story began with its royal family. See the palace for the setting, then come here for the paintings. Both sit in the heart of Ubud.
Art lovers can build a longer day with three more museums: the Neka Art Museum, the Agung Rai Museum of Art and the Blanco Renaissance Museum. Each has its own collection and its own feel. Puri Lukisan works well as the starting point, since it gives you the wider picture first.
Plan your day around the closing times. Puri Lukisan Museum stays open until 17:00, while Goa Gajah closes at 16:00. If you want both, see Goa Gajah first and finish the day among the paintings.
Before you visit
What are the opening hours of Puri Lukisan Museum?
The museum is open every day from 9:00 to 17:00. Its address is Jl Raya Ubud.
How much does Puri Lukisan Museum cost?
Entry is Rp 40,000. The price covers a visit to the galleries and the garden.
Where is Puri Lukisan Museum?
It is on Jl Raya Ubud, in Ubud. Ubud Palace is close by, so the two work well on the same walk.
What other art museums are near Puri Lukisan Museum?
The Neka Art Museum, the Agung Rai Museum of Art and the Blanco Renaissance Museum are all in the Ubud area. Each shows a different side of Balinese and visiting artists' work.
Near Puri Lukisan Museum
- Ubud Palace (0.32 km)
- Blanco Renaissance Museum (0.66 km)
- Agung Rai Museum of Art (1.49 km)
- Neka Art Museum (1.93 km)
Tours that stop at Puri Lukisan Museum
More museums and sights: things to do in Bali.