SAKA Museum Named One of The World's Most Beautiful Museums 2025 by PRIX VERSAILES

SAKA Museum, AYANA Bali’s cultural and knowledge center dedicated to celebrating the island’s vibrant living heritage, has been named one of the World’s Most Beautiful Museums 2025. The recognition comes from Prix Versailles, a prestigious award from France that champions intelligent sustainability, cultural expression, and architectural excellence. SAKA Museum is the only museum in Indonesia to be selected this year, joining a global list of seven institutions, including the Grand Palais in Paris, Kunstsilo in Norway, Diriyah Art Futures in Riyadh, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in the United States.

This international recognition honors museums that exemplify outstanding interior and exterior architecture while delivering meaningful visitor experiences that reflect heritage, innovation, and a sense of place. The announcement marks the beginning of the 11th edition of the Prix Versailles, which will continue to reveal leading global projects across various categories throughout the year.

For SAKA Museum, located within the lush grounds of AYANA Bali in Jimbaran, this latest honor adds to a growing list of international accolades. Since opening in 2024, the museum has quickly established itself as one of Indonesia’s foremost cultural institutions, named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024 and selected among the Top 100 in the Kyoto Global Design Awards for its pioneering and sustainable design.

Dr Judith E. Bosnak, Director of SAKA Museum, expressed her gratitude and shared the deeper significance of this recognition: “SAKA Museum has truly become a place of cultural pride and inspiration for Bali. This recognition celebrates the ingenuity of our entire SAKA Museum team, while also underscoring the profound importance of sustainable, accessible, and cutting-edge venues for cultural learning. We hope to inspire others to embrace innovative, inclusive, and sustainable design in Indonesia while encouraging visitors to engage deeply with Bali’s past, present, and future through our immersive cultural experience.”

As a vibrant platform for cultural expression, SAKA Museum continues to expand its programming to deepen public understanding of Balinese identity. New exhibitions explore the island’s spiritual and ecological wisdom through immersive storytelling and world-class presentation. "Kasanga: Nyepi Exhibition" invites visitors to experience Bali’s sacred Day of Silence through sensory installations and contemporary interpretations. "Subak: The Ancient Order of Bali" offers insight into the island’s UNESCO-listed irrigation and water temple systems that have sustained Balinese agriculture and society for centuries. In the upcoming "Heritage Gallery: The Five Elements," visitors are guided through the Balinese spiritual connection to earth, water, fire, air, and ether—elements that shape not just the environment but the soul of the island.

SAKA Museum represents a long-term commitment by AYANA to nurture and promote Balinese culture at both a local and global level. Through its exhibitions, seminars, knowledge center, and permanent collections, the museum aims to spark curiosity and encourage thoughtful cultural engagement while helping to advance museum practices across Indonesia. Its continued recognition on the world stage affirms its role as a leader in sustainable cultural development and architectural achievement.

To plan your visit, purchase admission tickets, or learn more about the ongoing exhibitions, please visit: www.sakamuseum.org

SAKA Museum is a cultural hub for celebrating Bali’s creative, spiritual, and philosophical expressions, while its vast open-air and indoor spaces make it a premier venue for diverse occasions. Through its exhibitions, seminars, knowledge center, and permanent collections, SAKA Museum will spark curiosity and foster a deeper appreciation for Balinese culture while supporting the advancement of museum best practices in Indonesia. The museum is part of AYANA’s commitment to contributing to the Balinese community.

For more information, please visit www.sakamuseum.org

Just 12 km from Bali’s international airport, AYANA Bali enjoys a majestic 1.3 km stretch of cliff-front coastline above Jimbaran Bay. The 90-hectare resort is home to four award-winning hotels:

• AYANA Resort Bali, whose 294 rooms and suites blend classic elegance with traditional Balinese aesthetics, with each featuring marble bathrooms, furnished balconies, and interconnecting doors
• AYANA Segara Bali, whose 197 rooms and suites bring a contemporary indoor-outdoor twist to the legendary Balinese-inspired AYANA experience
• AYANA Villas Bali, whose 73 luxurious villas feature private plunge pools and spectacular ocean backdrops
• RIMBA by AYANA Bali, a 403-room family-friendly resort

AYANA Bali is also home to AYANA Residences, Bali’s first purely residential community integrated within a 5-star resort, and the award-winning AYANA Spa, featuring 53 treatments rooms including one of the world’s largest hydrotherapy seawater pools, and set on a cliff above the Indian Ocean, Spa on the Rocks. AYANA Bali offers 15 meeting, event and wedding venues; 14 freshwater swimming pools including a children’s pool and the saltwater infinity Ocean Beach Pool at the cliff’s base; a secluded beach; 28 dining venues; a business center, an 18-hole golf putting course; 2 tennis courts; a jogging track; 2 fitness centers; and 2 kids' playgrounds.

Media Contacts:

Oka Ciptantio Octorama
E oka.octorama@ayana.com
T +62 812-1806-6808

Hikari Nakano
E hikari.nakano@ayana.com
+62 821-4604-5902