Unique Ullen Sentalu Museum, Yogyakarta : Best Museum in Indonesia

Trip Advisor has chosen the unique Ullen Sentalu Museum on the slopes of Mt. Merapi near Yogyakarta as the Best Museum in Indonesia.

Located on Jalan Boyong at the Kaliurang mountain resort, this gem of a museum relates the story of the ancient and Modern Mataram kingdom, whose descendents are today the Sultan of Yogyakarta,  the Sunan of Solo and the royal Houses of Mangkunegaran and Paku Alaman.

The displays, lighting and guides of this museum are excellent and provide that particular aura of being in the presence of Javanese royalty imbued with a long tradition and mysticism enhanced by its location that looks out to the mystical Mt. Merapi.

Upon arrival, visitors are led through a small path to a cave called the Gua Selo Giri where visitors hear the history of the House of Mataram. 

Then follows an open area called Kampung Kambang, which has a floating hall comprising 5 rooms. Called the Life of Tineke (a girl’s name) together they depict the life of a young princess. The rooms are filled with amazing batiks from various regions, preparations for a royal wedding, to the story of a real princess who rejected a polygamous marriage.

After more display areas the last is the Ruang Budaya, or the Cultural Hall, where visitors will find the story of  Javanese classical dancers and a number of paintings of royal dignitaries.

At the end of the tour, visitors are given a refreshing and reinvigorating herbal drink and are then free to stroll or sit around a landscaped royal garden to enjoy the breathtaking panorama on Mt. Merapi.

On your next visit to Indonesia do make it a point to visit Yogyakarta and the superb Ullen Sentanu Museum on the slopes of mystical Mt. Merapi.

(Sources: National Geographicmagazine and Intisari via Indonesia.travel)