Barli Museum, Art museum in Sukasari, Bandung, Indonesia
Barli Museum is an art museum on Jl. Prof. Dr. Sutami in Sukasari, Bandung, built on 840 square metres of land with 1,200 square metres of floor space across three levels. Its design echoes a museum in Rotterdam, and the layout relies on daylight and natural ventilation instead of air conditioning. The ground level holds a café, while the second and third floors hold the painting and sculpture collections.
Barli Sasmitawinata, born 18 March 1921, began collecting artworks for a gallery on his own land with his wife Atikah. Atikah died on 11 July 1991, a month before the museum building was finished on 11 August 1991; Barli signed a plaque dedicating it to her. The museum was founded in 1990 and inaugurated in October 1992 by tourism minister Soesilo Soedarman, and was initially closed to the public.
Barli and Atikah built the museum on their own land, and a plaque signed by Barli dedicates it to his wife, Atikah binti Basari, who died on 11 July 1991, a month before construction finished. The collection mixes paintings by Barli and other artists with sculptures, plus books and toys from the 1990s and 2000s. A paid painting workshop is taught by Barli's grandson, and the Sekolah Bumi programme he continues brings underprivileged children to draw at the museum.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM and is located in Sukasari, Bandung, easily accessible to visitors. There is a small dining area on the first floor where visitors can relax, while galleries on the upper floors invite exploration.
A special section displays Barli's personal story through photographs, paintings, and awards, with an important rule that visitors cannot take close-up photos of artworks to preserve their authenticity and condition. Additionally, the museum runs an educational program called Sekolah Bumi, led by Barli's grandson, offering free drawing and creative classes to underprivileged children.
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