Aceh Tsunami Museum

The Aceh Tsunami Museum is a memorial and disaster-preparedness centre in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, created after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to honour victims and promote tsunami awareness. It functions as both a museum and an education facility rather than a purely historical collection.

Permanent and temporary exhibition spaces present information about the 2004 tsunami, earthquake science, local impacts and recovery efforts; the site also hosts public programmes and educational events for schools and communities. The building is used as a focal point for remembrance and public training on evacuation and warning systems.

The museum was established in response to the 2004 tsunami and developed with involvement from local and national authorities to serve long-term education and memorial needs. It stands as part of Aceh’s post-tsunami reconstruction and resilience-building efforts.

The museum sits within Banda Aceh city, close to coastal neighbourhoods that were heavily affected in 2004. It is accessible from the city centre and serves both local residents and visitors to Aceh.

• Location and purpose: Sited in the provincial capital Banda Aceh close to areas devastated in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the museum combines commemoration with education on disaster preparedness and mitigation.
• Focus: Shows and programmes are aimed at both memorialising the 2004 disaster and teaching early-warning and evacuation practices to residents and visitors.