> Source: https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/mpu-tantular-museum/ — updated 2026-10-22. Markdown mirror generated at build time from the same content as the HTML page. Title: Mpu Tantular Museum 2026: Hours, Tickets & What to See Asia History & Archaeology ⏱ 1–1.5 hours # Mpu Tantular Museum [Sidoarjo](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/indonesia/sidoarjo/) · [Indonesia](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/indonesia/) · Founded 1937 [Baca dalam Bahasa Indonesia →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/id/museums/mpu-tantular-museum/) ![Mpu Tantular Museum in Sidoarjo, Indonesia](https://worldmuseumguide.org/images/mpu-tantular-museum.webp) Photo: [Gunawan Kartapranata](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mpu_Tantular_Museum.jpg) · [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) Opened 1937 Objects in Collection c. 15,000 Recommended Visit 1–1.5 hours Museum type East Java history & archaeology ## Quick answer Mpu Tantular Museum is East Java's provincial state museum, which grew out of a Surabaya city history museum opened in 1937 and has stood on Jalan Raya Buduran in Sidoarjo, just south of Surabaya, since 2004. Open Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM; closed Mondays. Admission: Rp5,000 general admission. Allow 1–1.5 hours. Visitor information last reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the official museum site for current details. ## Mpu Tantular Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed - **Opening hours:** Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM - **Closed:** Mondays and public holidays - **Admission:** Rp5,000 general admission - **Booking:** Tickets usually available on the day - **Time needed:** 1–1.5 hours - **Best time to visit:** Come Tuesday to Friday for the longest hours (until 3:30 PM); at weekends the museum closes at 2:00 PM, and it is shut on Mondays and public holidays. - **Getting there:** Car: On Jalan Raya Buduran, on the west side of the Buduran flyover, on the main road south from Surabaya towards Sidoarjo - **Address:** Jl. Raya Buduran (west side of the Buduran flyover), Buduran, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, Indonesia - **Official website:** museum.kemenbud.go.id Checked 2026-10-22 against [the official website](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/museum/profile/museum+negeri+mpu+tantular+provinsi+jawa+timur). Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel. ## What is Mpu Tantular Museum known for? The museum began with Godfried von Faber, a German-born resident of Surabaya who collected photographs of city life from 1922. His Stedelijk Historisch Museum Soerabaia (Surabaya City History Museum) opened in 1937, first in the Ketabang town hall and later in larger buildings in central Surabaya. After von Faber died on 30 September 1955 the museum was neglected and many objects were damaged or lost. A foundation kept it going, and it reopened as the East Java Museum on 23 May 1972. On 1 November 1974 it became the province's state museum, named after Mpu Tantular, the 14th-century Majapahit poet who wrote the Sutasoma and Arjunawijaya. The collection moved several times, to Jalan Tegalsari, Jalan Pemuda and in 1977 to Jalan Taman Mayangkara in Surabaya, before settling on 14 May 2004 in its present home on Jalan Raya Buduran, on the west side of the Buduran flyover in Sidoarjo Regency. The grounds cover about three hectares, and the entrance is marked by a split candi bentar gateway. The museum is owned by the East Java provincial government and run by its culture and tourism office. It has recently regained Type A status in the national museum classification, and in February 2026 Culture Minister Fadli Zon visited and called for its displays to be revitalised with better lighting and stronger storylines. The museum holds around 15,000 objects, of which about 1,100 are on display. They fall into ten categories, from geology and biology to ethnography, history, numismatics, heraldry, fine art, technology, ceramics and philology, and the permanent galleries run chronologically from prehistory through the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates and colonial period to modern science and technology. Three objects are designated national cultural heritage: Garudeya-motif jewellery, a statue of Durga Mahisasuramardhini and a Homo erectus fossil from Ngawi. Archaeology dominates, with statues of Ganesha, Parvati and Narasimha, carved landscape reliefs and Old Javanese inscriptions such as the Loceret stone of 1198 and the Kediri inscription dated 717 Saka. Entry costs Rp5,000. The museum opens Tuesday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM and on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and is closed on Mondays and public holidays. Beyond the galleries it runs travelling exhibitions, a Museum Masuk Sekolah (museum-to-school) programme, seminars, competitions, collection demonstrations, film screenings and writing guidance for students, and its annual Festival Tantular. Because it sits on the main road between Surabaya and Sidoarjo, it is an easy stop by car or ride-hail from either city or from Juanda International Airport. Best for: History Enthusiasts · Archaeology Lovers · Budget Travellers ## What are the must-see works at Mpu Tantular Museum? 5 highlights that define the collection: Durga Mahisasuramardhini, Garudeya-motif jewellery, Homo erectus fossil from Ngawi and more. 1 ### Durga Mahisasuramardhini Hindu-Javanese stone sculpture Durga in her wrathful form, with bulging eyes and fangs, stands on the buffalo demon; her eight hands hold a rosary, dagger, arrow, discus, drum, shield, bow and conch. The statue is designated national cultural heritage. 2 ### Garudeya-motif jewellery Ancient Javanese jewellery Jewellery decorated with the Garudeya (Garuda) motif and designated national cultural heritage; in 2026 the culture minister singled out its ornament as a model for museum merchandise. 3 ### Homo erectus fossil from Ngawi Early human fossil · Ngawi, East Java A fossil of the early human species Homo erectus found at Ngawi in East Java, one of the museum's three objects designated national cultural heritage. 4 ### Loceret inscription Old Javanese inscription · 1198 CE, Kadiri style An andesite stone carrying five lines of Old Javanese script carved in relief in the Kadiri style, dated 1198 CE and thought to come from the reign of King Kertajaya. 5 ### Dhyani Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Buddhist sculpture · classical Java A Bodhisattva seated on a lotus throne and dressed like a king, shown with four faces as lord of the zenith; a lion sits before the base, where a silver inscription was found in a niche. ## Collections and highlights - • Prehistoric fossils, including Homo erectus - • Hindu-Buddhist stone sculpture - • Old Javanese inscriptions and reliefs - • Islamic-era and colonial objects - • Wayang, including East Javanese wayang thengul - • Ceramics and coins - • Manuscripts, including Arabic-language texts - • Science and technology displays ## Tips for visiting Mpu Tantular Museum 1. ### Best time to visit Come Tuesday to Friday for the longest hours (until 3:30 PM); at weekends the museum closes at 2:00 PM, and it is shut on Mondays and public holidays. 2. ### Tickets & booking Pay Rp5,000 at the museum; no online booking or separate child or foreign-visitor rates are published. Groups wanting a guided visit can call the museum on 0812 1659 420 in advance. 3. ### Accessibility No accessibility information is published; contact the museum before visiting. 4. ### Photography rules No photography policy is published. Ask staff before taking pictures, avoid flash near manuscripts, puppets and textiles, and check before using a tripod. ## How do you get to Mpu Tantular Museum? - car On Jalan Raya Buduran, on the west side of the Buduran flyover, on the main road south from Surabaya towards Sidoarjo - taxi Grab, Gojek or taxi from Surabaya or Juanda International Airport to Museum Mpu Tantular, Buduran Address: Jl. Raya Buduran (west side of the Buduran flyover), Buduran, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, Indonesia ## Sources we checked Visitor facts and history on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. 1. [Museum Negeri Mpu Tantular Provinsi Jawa Timur (Sistem Registrasi Nasional Museum)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/museum/profile/museum+negeri+mpu+tantular+provinsi+jawa+timur) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 2. [Data Museum (directory listing with contact details and map point)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/museum) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 3. [Arca Durga Mahisasuramardhini (collection record)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/koleksi/profile/arca+durga+mahisasuramardhini_15650) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 4. [Prasasti Loceret (collection record)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/koleksi/profile/prasasti+loceret_15644) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 5. [Arca Dhyani Bodhisattwa Samantabhadra (collection record)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/koleksi/profile/arca+dhyani+bodhisattwa+samantabhadra_15651) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 6. [Wayang Thengul (collection record)](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/koleksi/profile/wayang+thengul_180) — Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026 7. [Menbud tinjau koleksi hingga potensi pengembangan Museum Mpu Tantular (22 February 2026)](https://jatim.antaranews.com/berita/1038166/menbud-tinjau-koleksi-hingga-potensi-pengembangan-museum-mpu-tantular) — ANTARA Jawa Timur, checked 22 October 2026 8. [Museum Negeri Mpu Tantular](https://www.indonesia.travel/id-id/destination/java/east-java/museum-negeri-mpu-tantular/) — Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia (Wonderful Indonesia), checked 22 October 2026 9. [Mpu Tantular Museum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpu_Tantular_Museum) — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026 10. [Museum Negeri Mpu Tantular](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_Mpu_Tantular) — Wikipedia (Bahasa Indonesia), checked 22 October 2026 11. [File:Mpu Tantular Museum.jpg (facade with candi bentar gateway)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mpu_Tantular_Museum.jpg) — Wikimedia Commons, checked 22 October 2026 ## Mpu Tantular Museum: frequently asked questions ### How much is the entrance fee for Mpu Tantular Museum? Admission is Rp5,000 on every opening day, according to the museum's entry in the Ministry of Culture's national museum registry. No separate rates for children, students or foreign visitors are published online, and no online booking is listed, so pay at the museum. Groups planning a guided visit can contact the museum on 0812 1659 420 beforehand. ### Where is Mpu Tantular Museum and how do I get there? The museum is on Jalan Raya Buduran in Buduran, Sidoarjo Regency, on the west side of the Buduran flyover, on the main road south from Surabaya towards Sidoarjo. Most visitors come by car or by Grab, Gojek or taxi from central Surabaya or from Juanda International Airport. ### How long should I spend at Mpu Tantular Museum? Plan 1–1.5 hours for the highlights of Mpu Tantular Museum. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café. ### What are the highlights of Mpu Tantular Museum? Look for the objects listed as national cultural heritage: Garudeya-motif jewellery, an eight-armed statue of Durga Mahisasuramardhini and a Homo erectus fossil from Ngawi. Other highlights include the Loceret inscription of 1198, a four-faced statue of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, a fierce Narasimha (Vishnu as man-lion), carved landscape reliefs and East Javanese wayang thengul puppets. ### Can I take photos inside Mpu Tantular Museum? The museum does not publish a photography policy, and many visitors photograph its statues. Ask staff at the entrance before taking pictures, keep your flash off near manuscripts, puppets and textiles, and check before using a tripod or filming for anything other than personal use. ### Why is the museum called Mpu Tantular? When the collection became East Java's state museum in 1974, it was named after Mpu Tantular, a 14th-century poet of the Majapahit court and author of the Old Javanese poems Arjunawijaya and Sutasoma. The collection itself began much earlier with the German-born Surabaya resident Godfried von Faber, whose Stedelijk Historisch Museum Soerabaia opened in 1937. ### Is Mpu Tantular Museum open on Mondays? No — Mpu Tantular Museum is closed every Monday (closing days: Mondays and public holidays). It is open Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Plan a different museum for that day, and check the official website for holiday changes. ### What are Mpu Tantular Museum's opening hours? Mpu Tantular Museum is open Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM, and closed Mondays and public holidays. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go. ### Is Mpu Tantular Museum free to visit? No — standard admission is Rp5,000 general admission. Plan your visit Admission Rp5,000 general admission Hours Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Closed Mondays and public holidays) [Official website & tickets](https://museum.kemenbud.go.id/museum/profile/museum+negeri+mpu+tantular+provinsi+jawa+timur) [View on Google Maps →](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-7.4339,112.7199) We don't sell tickets or take commission — links go to the museum. More in East Java [10 November Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/10-november-museum/) · [Bung Karno Library and Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/bung-karno-library-and-museum/) · [Museum Angkut](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/museum-angkut/) [All museums in Sidoarjo →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/indonesia/sidoarjo/) [All museums in East Java →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/indonesia/provinces/east-java/) [All museums in Indonesia →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/indonesia/) ## More museums in East Java [![10 November Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/images/10-november-museum.webp) Surabaya, Indonesia 10 November Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/10-november-museum/) · [![Bung Karno Library and Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/images/bung-karno-library-and-museum.webp) Blitar, Indonesia Bung Karno Library and Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/bung-karno-library-and-museum/) · [![Museum Angkut](https://worldmuseumguide.org/images/museum-angkut.webp) Batu, Indonesia Museum Angkut](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/museum-angkut/) Found this guide useful? [Support World Museum Guide](https://worldmuseumguide.org/support/). It is optional, and every guide stays free.