West Nusa Tenggara State Museum
Photo: Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
West Nusa Tenggara State Museum in Mataram, Indonesia — the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum (Museum Negeri NTB) in Mataram is the provincial museum for Lombok and Sumbawa, opened in 1982 under a Sasak-style roof. Open Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Tuesday to Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Admission: Rp8,000 for adults, senior high school and university students; Rp5,000 for kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils; Rp30,000 for foreign visitors. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
West Nusa Tenggara State Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Tuesday to Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | on national public holidays |
| Admission | Rp8,000 for adults, senior high school and university students; Rp5,000 for kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils; Rp30,000 for foreign visitors |
| Free or reduced entry | Kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils: Rp5,000 |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 hours |
| Best time to visit | A Tuesday-to-Friday morning from 8 AM; it opens late (10 AM) on Mondays and closes at 1 PM at weekends. |
| Getting there | Taxi: Grab, Gojek or a taxi to Jalan Panji Tilar Negara No. 6, in the Ampenan district on the west side of Mataram |
| Address | Jl. Panji Tilar Negara No. 6, Mataram 83114, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia |
| Closures | The permanent exhibition hall is closed from 22 October to 17 November 2026 for a revitalisation due to finish in early December 2026; the geology room and the traditional-house complex in the grounds stay open, and a temporary exhibition on NTB history and culture opens in the geology room on 17 November. |
| Official website | museumnegeri.ntbprov.go.id |
Checked 2026-10-22 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is West Nusa Tenggara State Museum known for?
The provincial museum of West Nusa Tenggara was built between 1976/77 and 1980/81, formally established by an education ministry decree of 21 January 1982 and inaugurated two days later, on 23 January 1982, by the Minister of Education and Culture, Daoed Joesoef. It began as a technical unit of the national Directorate General of Culture, passed to the provincial government in 2000, and since 27 December 2016 has been a technical unit (UPTD) of the province's education and culture office. The main building stands on an 8,613 m² plot on Jalan Panji Tilar Negara, with a roof modelled on a traditional Sasak house.
The collection of nearly 8,000 objects, about 900 of them weapons, is organised in ten categories — geology, biology, history, archaeology, philology, ceramics, rank insignia, currency, art and ethnography — and comes from both Lombok and Sumbawa. Highlights include Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo wedding costumes, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch colonial coins, weapons of the Bima sultanate, four bronze nekara drums, the gold fan of the Sultan of Sumbawa, a replica of the gilded Pondi Emas holy-water vessel, Wayang Sasak puppets and a prehistoric hand axe from Central Lombok, the oldest object. Regalia of the Sumbawa sultanate were donated in May 2024.
Displays are divided between a permanent exhibition on the geology and geodiversity of the province, a second on cultural heritage, a treasury room (Ruang Khazanah) of especially valuable pieces, and a separate geology building devoted to Mount Rinjani, a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2018. The permanent displays had not been overhauled since new cases were installed in 2010, so in 2026 the Ministry of Culture funded a Rp3 billion revitalisation that adds storylines on the pre-Islamic and Hindu-Buddhist periods, the spread of Islam, ethnography, traditional technology and international trade, with completion targeted for the province's anniversary on 17 December.
While the work is under way, the permanent exhibition hall is closed from 22 October to 17 November 2026, but the geology room, the traditional houses in the grounds and the outdoor Taman Mantar, with its cidomo horse cart, lingga and yoni, cannons and ship's anchor, remain to be seen. A temporary exhibition on NTB history and culture opens in the geology room on 17 November. New ticket prices took effect on 1 October 2026: Rp8,000 for adults and Rp30,000 for foreign visitors. The museum also has a library and an audiovisual room.
Best for: History Enthusiasts · Budget Travellers · Rainy-day visits
What are the must-see works at West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
5 highlights that define the collection: Gold fan of the Sultan of Sumbawa, Bronze nekara drums, Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo wedding costumes and more.
Gold fan of the Sultan of Sumbawa
Sumbawa sultanate
A ceremonial gold fan of the Sumbawa sultans, one of the museum's most valuable royal objects.
Bronze nekara drums
Bronze Age · Lesser Sunda Islands
The museum holds four nekara, the large bronze kettledrums cast across Southeast Asia in the Bronze Age.
Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo wedding costumes
Lombok and Sumbawa · traditional
Bridal dress of the three main peoples of the province — the Sasak of Lombok and the Samawa and Mbojo (Bima) of Sumbawa — shown side by side.
Weapons of the Bima sultanate
Bima, Sumbawa · sultanate period
Traditional weapons from the court of Bima in eastern Sumbawa, part of a weapons collection of about 900 pieces; in 2026 the museum began treating some 50 keris against corrosion.
Prehistoric hand axe
Central Lombok · prehistoric
A stone hand axe from Central Lombok, the oldest object in the museum's collection.
Collections and highlights
- • Geology of Lombok, Sumbawa and Mount Rinjani
- • Archaeology, including bronze nekara drums
- • Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo ethnography and textiles
- • Manuscripts on lontar and paper
- • Colonial and historic coins
- • Weapons and regalia of the Bima and Sumbawa sultanates
- • Wayang Sasak puppets
- • Ceramics
Tips for visiting West Nusa Tenggara State Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
A Tuesday-to-Friday morning from 8 AM; it opens late (10 AM) on Mondays and closes at 1 PM at weekends. Until 17 November 2026 only the geology room and grounds are open, and the renewed permanent exhibition is due in December 2026.
- 2.
Tickets & booking
Pay on arrival: Rp8,000 adults (including senior high and university students), Rp5,000 kindergarten to junior high pupils, Rp30,000 foreign visitors — rates in force since 1 October 2026. No booking is needed.
- 3.
Accessibility
No accessibility information is published; contact the museum (public relations: +62 897-3862-445) before visiting.
- 4.
Photography rules
No photography rules are published; ask staff before taking pictures, avoid flash near manuscripts and textiles, and request permission for professional shoots.
How do you get to West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
- taxi Grab, Gojek or a taxi to Jalan Panji Tilar Negara No. 6, in the Ampenan district on the west side of Mataram
- car From elsewhere on Lombok, a hired car and driver is simplest; the traditional houses and Taman Mantar garden are in the museum grounds
Address: Jl. Panji Tilar Negara No. 6, Mataram 83114, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Sources we checked
Visitor facts and history on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown.
- Museum NTB naikkan tarif kunjungan per 1 Oktober 2026 (1 October 2026) — ANTARA, checked 22 October 2026
- Museum NTB tutup sementara ruang pameran tetap mulai 22 Oktober 2026 (21 October 2026) — ANTARA, checked 22 October 2026
- Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat — Wonderful Indonesia (Ministry of Tourism), checked 22 October 2026
- Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat (English) — Wonderful Indonesia (Ministry of Tourism), checked 22 October 2026
- Permanent Exhibition Space at NTB Museum Revitalizes After 16 years (14 July 2026) — RRI, checked 22 October 2026
- Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat — Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, checked 22 October 2026
- West Nusa Tenggara State Museum — Wikipedia, checked 22 October 2026
- Museum NTB konservasi puluhan artefak senjata dari ancaman korosi (31 August 2026) — ANTARA, checked 22 October 2026
West Nusa Tenggara State Museum: frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee for the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
Since 1 October 2026 tickets cost Rp8,000 for adults and for senior high school and university students, Rp5,000 for kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils, and Rp30,000 for foreign visitors, under the province's regional regulation No. 3 of 2026. The previous prices — Rp5,000, Rp2,000 and Rp20,000 — had applied for about six years, so older guides are out of date.
Is the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum open during the renovation?
Yes, but only partly. The permanent exhibition hall is closed from 22 October to 17 November 2026 while its displays are rebuilt with Ministry of Culture funding. Visitors can still see the geology room and the traditional-house complex in the grounds, and a temporary exhibition on NTB history and culture opens in the geology room on 17 November. The revitalisation is due to finish in early December 2026.
Where is the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum and how do I get there?
The museum is at Jalan Panji Tilar Negara No. 6 in Mataram, Lombok's capital, in the Ampenan district on the west side of the city. Grab, Gojek and taxis can take you to the gate from anywhere in Mataram; if you are staying elsewhere on Lombok, a hired car and driver is the simplest option.
How long should I spend at the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
Plan 1–1.5 hours for the highlights of West Nusa Tenggara State Museum. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What are the highlights of the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
Look for the wedding costumes of the Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo peoples, weapons of the Bima sultanate, the gold fan of the Sultan of Sumbawa, four bronze nekara drums and a prehistoric hand axe from Central Lombok, the oldest object in the collection. Outside, Taman Mantar displays a cidomo horse cart, cannons and a ship's anchor.
Can I take photos inside the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum?
The museum does not publish photography rules. Ask staff at the entrance before taking pictures, avoid flash near manuscripts, textiles and painted objects, and request permission in advance for any professional or commercial shoot. The traditional houses and the Taman Mantar garden outside are the easiest places to photograph.
When is the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum open?
According to the national tourism portal, the museum opens on Mondays from 10 AM to 4 PM, Tuesday to Thursday from 8 AM to 4 PM, Fridays from 8 AM to 5 PM, and at weekends from 8 AM to 1 PM, closing on national public holidays. Weekend afternoons are therefore not an option; plan a weekday visit if you can.
Is West Nusa Tenggara State Museum free to visit?
Not for everyone. Standard admission: Rp8,000 for adults, senior high school and university students; Rp5,000 for kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils; Rp30,000 for foreign visitors. Free or reduced entry: Kindergarten, primary and junior high school pupils: Rp5,000.