Sonobudoyo Museum

Sonobudoyo Museum is situated on the northern side of the north square (Alun-alun Utara) of Sultan’s Palace. Sonobudoyo has the second most complete collection of cultural artifacts after the Central Museum in Jakarta. Visitors could observe ceramics from the Neolithic age, original eight and nine century statues and bronze articles collected from temples in Central Java, various kinds of puppets, mask and wayang (puppets and shadow play) to heirlooms to artifacts from Bali.

Visiting Sonobudoyo Museum is an alternative way if we want to see any kinds of Keris (a kind of knife/sword) around Indonesia and things that it’s connected. This museum stores about 1,200 kinds of Keris (from Java Institute), because till right now we can not see Keris in Yogyakarta Palace.

The first thing that we can see connected of Keris is Wesi Budha (Buddhist Steel), it is the main material in making Keris, it was used in the seventh century, or in the age of Hindus Mataram Kingdom. Wesi Budha can be seen in the middle room which stores some collections in the age of Buddhist glory inIndonesia. By Wesi Budha, we also learn other equipment, house equipment, weapons and handicraft from time to time.

Java Institute is an embryo for the existence of Sonobudoyo Museum; it gave a lot of contributions. It is an organization which learns about Javanese culture where their members are western people and Indonesian. Ir. Th. Karsten is an architect that makes building planning. After gathered several collection artifacts from Java, Madura, Bali and Lombok, then in 6th November 1935 Sonobudoyo Museum was opened by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII which placed ex-the office Schauten in the northern side of the north square of Sultan’s Palace.

Until right now, Sonobudoyo Museum has 42,698 collections, including of 10 categories. Except a showroom for showing collection things, Sonobudoyo Museum also has auditorium, storage collection, library, laboratory, preparation office, and public facilities.

It opens from 08.00 a.m. – 01.00 p.m. on Tuesday – Thursday and 08.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. on Friday – Saturday.