Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets
Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets
Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets
4.8
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.8
236 reviews
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spencer g
palm springs13 contributions
Feb 2025 • Couples
We wanted a trip out from Ubud and came across this museum. We honestly thought it would be one of those hokey tourist traps, but it is quite the opposite.
A beautifully put together collection of masks and puppets from all over the region and the globe. They are beautifully displayed and housed in several C19th century buildings which have been brought from various parts of Indonesia.
It was a delight for us but a shame for the museum that there were only two other people there all the time we were wandering round.
A delightful gentleman was able to answer our questions and faded into the background when we wanted to browse alone.
In all a wonderful experience and it’s FREE.
Kids would love it and the setting is calm and lush.
A huge 5 stars.
A beautifully put together collection of masks and puppets from all over the region and the globe. They are beautifully displayed and housed in several C19th century buildings which have been brought from various parts of Indonesia.
It was a delight for us but a shame for the museum that there were only two other people there all the time we were wandering round.
A delightful gentleman was able to answer our questions and faded into the background when we wanted to browse alone.
In all a wonderful experience and it’s FREE.
Kids would love it and the setting is calm and lush.
A huge 5 stars.
Written 21 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie J
Kensington, MD90 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
My daughter and I asked our driver to stop here before we did the touristy shopping and exploring with the masses in Ubud. The grounds were quiet and well maintained and beautiful. There was no charge to enter. There are 5 or 6 small houses with ama ing masks and puppets from Bali and all over the world . A guide took us around and we could take as long or as short in each room as we wanted. ( we did tip her although it wasn’t required). Great easy activity!
Written 15 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voizin
Ile-de-France, France425 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
You will not regret the visit, a great garden, beautiful buildings but the most extraordinary is inside. Fabulous collections of traditional characters, masks, puppets, all in abundance. Amazing!!! The most amazing thing is that there is no one, so much for those who do not come they really miss something.
Automatically translated
Written 27 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PoipuJim
86 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
This is an amazing property and museum of masks and puppets. The collection contains approximately 1300 masks and 5700 puppets from all over the world, not just Indonesia. The property consists of six exhibition buildings, a tropical Balinese garden and performance stage. The masks are incredible ...... the collection includes many costumes that I saw at the Legong Trance and Paradise Dance performance at Ubud Palace. Take your time to absorb it all!!!!
Written 10 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DaveJJenk
Hvar, Croatia64 contributions
Aug 2022
During our recent trip to Bali, we visited many museums, temples and other cultural centres but this beautifully presented museum of masks and puppets in the village of Mas was, by far, the highlight. Housed in 6 separate traditionally designed buildings in a beautiful garden setting, the comprehensive collection features masks and puppets donated by many Asian, South and Central American countries. The museum guides are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and rightly proud of their magnificent display. This is a "must see" on any cultural Balinese itinerary and needs at least two hours to fully appreciate. Don't miss it!
Written 19 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Juniper64
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia3,883 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Seven pavillions set in lush grounds, each an absolute goldmine of insights into cultures from around the world, captured in masks and puppets.
To prevent this becoming just an endless stream of "funny faces", it's helpful to do some background research before and after your visit. For example, watch YouTube videos of wayang golek, wayang kulit's less famous cousin. Enter "Craftsmanhip, The Making of Wayang Golek", as a good starter, into the YT search bar.
The wayang golek collection here is superb, with regional variations in Indonesia all showcased. It's incredible to think that the whole collection in the museum was basically acquired by one man, who now showcases them free of charge.
This gives useful context into the whys and whats of the puppets. One small quibble: the descriptions in some parts are hard to read: I got around this by just snapping a photo on my phone, to look up after I got home.
There are so many treasures here that even Asians will be astounded by how many unknown cultures are at our doorstep.
The fact that entry to this magnificent museum is free is utterly amazing; the other art museums around Ubud can be pricey, with AMRA coming in at 150K IDR.
A friendly guide who's been there for 20 years will be happy to show you around.There are two sets of toilets onsite; not stellar, but you can "go", don't worry. A small cafe too if I'm not mistaken, but Ubud's plentiful dining options are close by anyway.
Utterly unmissable, if you have any interest in world culture.
To prevent this becoming just an endless stream of "funny faces", it's helpful to do some background research before and after your visit. For example, watch YouTube videos of wayang golek, wayang kulit's less famous cousin. Enter "Craftsmanhip, The Making of Wayang Golek", as a good starter, into the YT search bar.
The wayang golek collection here is superb, with regional variations in Indonesia all showcased. It's incredible to think that the whole collection in the museum was basically acquired by one man, who now showcases them free of charge.
This gives useful context into the whys and whats of the puppets. One small quibble: the descriptions in some parts are hard to read: I got around this by just snapping a photo on my phone, to look up after I got home.
There are so many treasures here that even Asians will be astounded by how many unknown cultures are at our doorstep.
The fact that entry to this magnificent museum is free is utterly amazing; the other art museums around Ubud can be pricey, with AMRA coming in at 150K IDR.
A friendly guide who's been there for 20 years will be happy to show you around.There are two sets of toilets onsite; not stellar, but you can "go", don't worry. A small cafe too if I'm not mistaken, but Ubud's plentiful dining options are close by anyway.
Utterly unmissable, if you have any interest in world culture.
Written 18 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marina V
Vancouver, Canada15 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
my husband and I are visited this place today and we would like to say thank you for giving access to the public to see and learn about masks and puppets. It was our best day in Ubud. And unbelievably FREE.
We had wonderful time, beautiful clean gardens, very interesting Exhibition very well organized. A lot of see and learn.
Thanks a lot.
We had wonderful time, beautiful clean gardens, very interesting Exhibition very well organized. A lot of see and learn.
Thanks a lot.
Written 11 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelbug1155
San Francisco, CA599 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
I have always been a big fan of masks. They reveal so much about various cultures and religions. This collection is truly outstanding in quality of items and presentation. The Balignese masks are first rate as is all the other samples of masks from many countries, including Japanese Indonesian, African Papua, Sri Lanka, Italy, just to name a few. The puppets are just fantastic as well as are they articulated shadow puppets.
If you have any interest in this type of art, you probably won’t find a better collection anywhere
If you have any interest in this type of art, you probably won’t find a better collection anywhere
Written 14 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CKF
CT2,155 contributions
Feb 2020
We saw Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets recommended in a guide book and put it on our list while in Ubud. First, adjacent to the parking lot, you'll see a small gift shop, selling authentic Balinese masks, shadow puppets, and jewelry. We liked this, but is was rather underwhelming and we sighed. We thought there would be more.
Well, keep walking! You WILL find more! On the other side of a park-like green space you will find a museum housed in four buildings (at least). The masks range from tiny to huge, multi-person varieties, meant to be worn during annual festivals and such. The masks came in every size, shape and facial expression. WOW! We went from being underwhelmed to overwhelmed! You will marvel at the shadow puppet collection and the intricate artistry and craftsmanship on display. How could we be the only visitors there?
Spent so much time browsing and reading all the cards (English included) that our guide must have wondered where we went. Well designed, well planned, lots of space to walk and admire.
What a find! Do not miss this hidden treasure, just a short distance from the Elephant Cave (which was a let down). ENJOY!
Well, keep walking! You WILL find more! On the other side of a park-like green space you will find a museum housed in four buildings (at least). The masks range from tiny to huge, multi-person varieties, meant to be worn during annual festivals and such. The masks came in every size, shape and facial expression. WOW! We went from being underwhelmed to overwhelmed! You will marvel at the shadow puppet collection and the intricate artistry and craftsmanship on display. How could we be the only visitors there?
Spent so much time browsing and reading all the cards (English included) that our guide must have wondered where we went. Well designed, well planned, lots of space to walk and admire.
What a find! Do not miss this hidden treasure, just a short distance from the Elephant Cave (which was a let down). ENJOY!
Written 28 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear CKF
Greeting from House of Mask and Puppets Setia Darma.
Thank you for visiting House of Mask and Puppets Setia Darma.
We do hope that you are having a great experience visiting us.
We would like to also thank you for your review.
House of Mask and Puppets Setia Darma collections are about 1,300 masks and 5,700 puppets (the collection mostly from Indonesia), House of Mask and Puppets Setia Darma displaying its collection in 6 javanese traditional houses.
At the end of visit, there is a Cafe Topeng where our visitors could get indonesian traditional snacks, fresh cold drinks or just enjoying our tasty balinese coffee.
We are looking forward to welcoming you again when visiting our place.
Written 1 April 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Larissa
San Diego, CA5 contributions
Sept 2022
I was looking for a nice quiet place in Ubud to spend some time and I was very lucky to have found this place!
Beautiful area, and the museum itself, located in several different houses, is an amazing look into Indonesian culture, although there is a couple of other international cultures featured as well. But I was absolutely fascinated by the Balinese displays.
Guides are present to share about the stories and history.
And it was certainly quiet. Only a small handful of others wandering the area when I got there, and by the end I was the only one. Super tranquil and surrounded by beautiful well kept greenery to boot.
Also free entrance, which was very generous.
Highly recommend for a touch of Indonesian culture and nice little trip away from the hustle and bustle of central Ubud.
Beautiful area, and the museum itself, located in several different houses, is an amazing look into Indonesian culture, although there is a couple of other international cultures featured as well. But I was absolutely fascinated by the Balinese displays.
Guides are present to share about the stories and history.
And it was certainly quiet. Only a small handful of others wandering the area when I got there, and by the end I was the only one. Super tranquil and surrounded by beautiful well kept greenery to boot.
Also free entrance, which was very generous.
Highly recommend for a touch of Indonesian culture and nice little trip away from the hustle and bustle of central Ubud.
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marie-anne G
Lattes, France
Que faisait on avant dans ces maisons? On m a dit une ancienne fabrique de papier .... merci de votre réponse
Written 30 January 2019
Hello Marie-anne, Setia Darma Houses of Masks and Puppets is a place where various kinds of masks and puppets from different regions in Indonesia and around the world have been collected, stored, and displayed for public since 2006. The collection includes more than 1300 masks and 5700 puppets.
for more information, please contact us 0361 8987493
Best Regards,
House of Mask & Puppets Setia Darma
Bagus Santoso
Written 1 February 2019
No cost, there is a donation box at the end but you are not asked or pushed to donate at all. It is however well worth contributing something to the upkeep of the amazing collection.
Written 13 April 2017
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