New Bali Peace Park Museum To Be Built On Bombing Site

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The Badung Regency Government has confirmed the purchase of the land where the former Sari Club stood.

The 15 are of land (0.15 hectares) that was previously used by small market traders have been purchased to develop the Bali Peace Park Museum on the site where the 2002 Bali Bombings took place. 

The Head of the Badung Regency Culture Office, Gede Eka Sudarwitha, confirmed that the Badung Regency Government completed the purchase of the former Sari Club site in December 2024.

The government invested IDR 60 billion in the land, and Sudarwitha noted, “This is in accordance with the Badung Regency Government’s policy. This museum will not only be a space for reflection but also a symbol of peace.”

He added “Currently we are in the process of Detail Engineering Design which is expected to be completed this year. If all goes according to plan, physical constriction will begin in 2026.”

Sudarwitha was clear that the Bali Peace Park Museum will not only be a commemoration of the 2002 Bali Bombings but as a designation that actively promotes the values of peace and tolerance across all walks of society. 

Sudarwitha told reporters “Through this museum, we want to instill the importance of living side by side in peace, respecting differences.”

The Chairman of the Badung Regency DPRD, I Gusti Anom Gumanti, has given his full support to the project.

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Gumati told reporters, “This museum will store important documents of the Bali Bombing tragedy, as well as being a reminder to future generations to always maintain peace.” He added, “With this museum, we want to ensure that the values of humanity and peace never fade.”

The Bali Peace Park Museum will be funded through the 2026 Badung Regency Regional Budget and is anticipated to be an attraction, education facility, and global symbol of peace.

The 2002 Bali Bombings was the worst terror attack in Indonesia in recent history, taking place on the evening of the 12th of October 2002. 

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The attack on Paddy’s Pub and outside Sari Club on Jalan Legian, Kuta, killed 202 people, including 88 Australian citizens, the majority of whom were on vacation on the island at the time.

Amongst the victims of the bombing were 38 Indonesian citizens and 23 people from the UK. A further 209 people were severely injured in the attacks.

At Ground Zero, the Bali Bombing Memorial now stands, commemorating the lives of those killed in the attack. The simple structure stands tall in the heart of Kuta and lists the names of all those who lost their lives.

Every year, on the evening of the 12th of October, a remembrance ceremony is held, and many tourists from all over the world stop by the monument to pay their respects during their vacations. There are two further Bali Bombing Memorials in Australia, one in Canberra and the other in Kings Park in Perth. 

The Bali Peace Park Project explains that “The Bali Peace Park Project will honor those lost and injured in the bombing by bringing together people of many nations, ethnicities, and religions who will be able to sit in a tranquil greenspace and if only for a moment in time find peace and serenity from strife and turmoil.”

The Bali Bombing is an event that is forever etched on the memory of the Balinese people. During the 21st anniversary commemoration ceremony in October 2023, the Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, shared poignant and timeless statements.

He shared, “Let’s make peace with the past, forgive, and build a better future together.” Adding, “Let’s use this incident as a call to promote understanding of tolerance and love for fellow human beings.”

He noted, “In this reflection, we ask the universe to be given greater power in realizing eternal peace, make this memory a starting point for inspiration for our actions in building harmony.”