About the Museum | Highlights

Emmerald, a new kind of museum, is born at the foot of a UNESCO World Heritage site in Bali. Created for those living today and for future generations, it brings together architecture, art, and nature across a site of approximately one hectare. Operated by a Bali- and Indonesia-based foundation (*Yayasan, a local public-interest organization), a portion of the facility’s revenue is reinvested into environmental conservation and educational initiatives, so that the experience of visiting itself contributes to the future. At its core is a large-scale permanent museum, accompanied by educational programs and restaurants.

Visitors move through waterways and courtyards, encountering the works in dialogue with natural light. As light shifts from morning to afternoon, dusk, and night, it becomes an integral part of the viewing experience. The works continue to change in response to weather and time of day; no two visits offer the same view. After sunset, a special program, “After Sunset – Special Tour,” offers a different, more atmospheric experience.

Within the permanent museum, a range of works can be encountered—golden rain, waves of light, landscapes in which tens of thousands of leaves continue to fall, enormous golden paintings, celestial elements, and light itself. Incorporating natural forces such as light, air, and wind, these works take physical phenomena and nature itself as their basis, and continually shift in appearance through changes in natural light.

To carry this important site—once unused agricultural land near Tanah Lot—into the future, the team that conceived Emmerald invited creators whose practices resonate with its principles. For the architecture, Andra Matin, known for working with materials that coexist with nature and age gracefully over time. For the artworks, Eugene Kangawa / EUGENE STUDIO, whose practice reflects on a world that continues to change with time and environment, and on the life force within human existence.

The spaces, developed through dialogue, are arranged with primary consideration given to the movement of the sun and the existing vegetation. Fifteen distinct “spaces as works” are placed so as to avoid the trees. Based on the Balinese spatial concept of Natah and constructed around locally produced terracotta, the architecture has been described by Andra Matin as a “museum as a village.” His remark that he was able to “bring together the spirit of Bali and the works” reflects the essence of this place.

A deep respect for the land of Bali is where Emmerald begins. The island holds a history of cultivating new practices through encounters across cultures and generations. Emmerald has been conceived in recognition of that spirit.

Through the children’s workshop program “Little Creators,” opportunities are offered to engage with art and nature both within and beyond the museum grounds. The on-site restaurant gently connects extraordinary experiences with everyday life. From the outset, Emmerald has aimed to become a place that, like art itself, contributes to the advancement of society—fostering a sustainable cycle that transcends borders and generations. The experience of architecture and art is not intended to end on site, but to be returned to the land and to society. This way of thinking is also one of the defining characteristics of the museum.

Operated by: Yayasan Emmerald for Earth / Desa Emmerald

*These initiatives are carried out through the local public-interest foundation “Emmerald for Earth.” Through ongoing dialogue with individuals engaged in the fields of environment, education, and culture, collaborative projects are developed as an important part of this place.

*One of the origins of Emmerald lies in the experience of the community at “EUGENE STUDIO The New Sea” (2021–22) at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo by Eugene Kangawa. It is hoped that this project, born from resonance across countries and generations, will continue to be carried forward by those who visit this place.