Agung Rai Museum of Art

The Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) is a museum of Indonesian and international art located in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Established in 1996, it stands as one of Bali's most significant cultural institutions, distinguished by its holdings of traditional Balinese art, works by foreign artists who lived on the island, and paintings by key figures in the development of modern Indonesian painting. The museum operates under the Agung Rai Foundation and integrates visual art exhibition with performing arts and educational programming.

The Agung Rai Foundation was established on 13 May 1996, and the museum was officially opened on 9 June 1996 by Wardiman Djojonegero, then Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture. The institution was founded by Agung Rai, whose family contributed works to the collection on a loan basis alongside pieces owned by the foundation itself. From its inception, ARMA was conceived as more than a conventional museum: it has hosted theatre and dance performances and offered training courses and workshops, reflecting a broader mission of cultural preservation and education.

The collection spans traditional Balinese art to contemporary work. It includes traditional paintings on tree bark in the Kamasan style and masterworks from the 1930s and 1940s by artists from Batuan. The museum is the only institution in Bali to display paintings by Walter Spies, the German artist who worked on the island in the 1930s, and by Raden Saleh, regarded as a founder of modern Indonesian painting. The holdings also encompass works by Balinese masters including I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Ida Bagus Made, Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, and I Gusti Made Deblog, as well as works by foreign artists resident in Bali such as Willem Gerard Hofker, Rudolf Bonnet, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur, and Willem Dooijewaard.

The museum complex consists of several buildings designed in Balinese style, though larger than traditional structures. Local building materials were used wherever possible. The two main buildings are the 3,300-square-metre Balé Daja and the 1,200-square-metre Balé Dauh. These are set within an extensive garden landscape featuring ponds and fountains. The site also includes the Hotel Arma Resort and two restaurants, creating an integrated cultural and visitor destination.

ARMA is located in Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali, within the Gianyar regency. The museum is owned and administered by the Agung Rai Foundation. Visitors can access information through the museum's website at www.armabali.com. The combination of art galleries, performing arts venues, hospitality facilities, and educational programs positions ARMA as a multifunctional cultural centre rather than a traditional museum.