Museums in Bali are not high on the “must-visit lists” of tourists visiting Bali. This is demonstrated by the fact that visitor numbers to Bali museums are low and dominated by foreign tourists, with visits by domestic travelers ranking at even lower levels.
This lack of Indonesian visitors to Bali museums is doubly ironic. Domestic travelers to Bali far outnumber international tourists while, at the same time, it is Indonesian culture that is celebrated and exalted at Bali’s many museums.
Citing just one example, and as reported by NusaBali.com, The Bali Museum, located in downtown Denpasar with a structure that is a testament to traditional Balinese architecture, desperately needs more visitors.
Nyoman Gede Arta Sagita, an official at The Bali Museum, said on 15 August 2023 that the number of daily visitors counted “in the teens” (i.e., 10 to 20). Sagita sadly displayed the visitor book that supported his dismal report, adding, “Indeed, this is the condition; this is normal.”
Arta Sagita said those visiting The Bali Museum were primarily foreign visitors, while Indonesian visitors from Bali and other regions of the Republic are few and far between. Domestic visitors to the Museum only tend to increase during school holiday periods.
Museum management continues efforts to promote more visits to their museum. Arta Sagita said, “The Bali Museum is more than a mere tourism destination and has an important educational function.”
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