Indonesia's flagship museum of archaeology and ethnography, reopened after the 2023 fire.
The National Museum, known locally as Museum Nasional or Museum Gajah after the bronze elephant out front, holds the country's deepest collection of archaeology, ethnography, and history. Highlights include Hindu-Buddhist stone statues, ancient gold from Java, prehistoric finds, and textiles and artefacts from across the archipelago.
A fire in September 2023 damaged part of the old building and some collections. The museum reopened in October 2024 after restoration, with refreshed displays and a new immersive gallery, and the visitor experience now feels more modern than it did before.
It sits on the west side of Merdeka Square, close to Monas, making it easy to combine the two in a single outing.
Getting there
From central Jakarta, take the TransJakarta bus to the Monumen Nasional or Museum Nasional stop, or the MRT to Bundaran HI and continue a short ride west. The museum is a few minutes' walk from Monas across Merdeka Square. Grab and Gojek drop you at the entrance.
Best time
Weekday mornings are quietest and coolest. English-language guided tours run on set days mid-morning (typically around 10am, Tuesday to Friday), so time your visit to catch one. The museum closes on Mondays.
Good to know
Payment is cashless, so bring a card (Visa or Mastercard work best). Allow at least an hour and a half for the main halls, more if you add the ImersifA immersive room, which is a separate small charge. Combine it with a Monas visit, as the two are within walking distance.
Yes. It reopened in October 2024 following restoration of the damage from the September 2023 fire, with refreshed galleries and a new immersive exhibit.
Foreign visitors pay around IDR 50,000, with the optional immersive room costing extra (about IDR 35,000), as of 2025. Payment is cashless, so bring a card.
Yes, free English tours run on weekdays, usually starting mid-morning around 10am from Tuesday to Friday. Check the schedule at the desk, as times can shift.
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