Agung Rai Museum of Art

The Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) is an art museum and cultural center in Ubud, Bali, focused on Balinese visual and performing arts and founded by Balinese art collector Agung Rai. It serves as a regional center for preservation, exhibition, and education on Balinese painting and traditional arts.

Gallery spaces show both traditional and contemporary Balinese paintings and sculpture across multiple rooms, and the site includes a performance pavilion for dance and gamelan, landscaped gardens, a cafe, and spaces for workshops and demonstrations. The museum runs rotating exhibitions and hosts artist events and educational programs aimed at supporting local artists and craftspeople.

Founded from Agung Rai’s private collection, the institution developed into a public museum and cultural complex used for exhibitions, artist residencies, and community cultural programs. Over time the site has expanded its visitor facilities to include performance and workshop spaces while maintaining its focus on Balinese artistic traditions.

Located in Ubud, Gianyar Regency, central Bali, the museum sits among other cultural attractions and visitor accommodations that make Ubud a focal point for visitors interested in Balinese art and culture.

• Performances: Traditional Balinese dance and music are regularly presented in the on-site pavilion, often in the late afternoon or evening.
• Workshops: Offers hands-on painting and craft workshops and rotating exhibitions; bookings are recommended for group sessions.

What to See#

• Main galleries: Multiple indoor gallery spaces showing a permanent collection of Balinese paintings alongside rotating exhibitions of contemporary and traditional works.
• Performance pavilion: An open-air pavilion used for traditional Balinese dance and gamelan performances, with scheduled shows and community events.
• Gardens and cafe: Landscaped grounds with outdoor sculpture, a cafe, and workshop spaces used for classes and demonstrations.

Set amid a large, beautifully manicured landscape, the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) blends visual and performing arts into one of Ubud’s most rewarding cultural attractions. Its permanent collection is notably diverse, spanning modern and traditional styles and artists such as I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Raden Saleh Syarif and Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres, alongside classical Kamasan paintings.

Dance and cultural performances are woven into the museum’s daily life, combining theatre, dance and music into a distinctive experience. Visitors seeking a more hands-on visit can join cultural workshops and painting classes, and those wishing to linger can stay overnight at the on-site Kokokan Hotel.

ARMA is in Ubud, Bali, accessible by taxi or scooter from central Ubud (about 10-20 minutes depending on traffic). Many local hotels and tour operators include transport to the museum as part of Ubud cultural routes.

• Reserve ahead for guided tours-space in galleries can be limited during peak season.
• Look for the museum's Balinese textile collection; labels often include artist names and provenance.
• Bring a camera: the grounds and traditional compound like architecture are photogenic.