Museum Sonobudoyo holds one of the finest collections of Javanese art outside Jakarta. The collection covers the full sweep of the island's cultural history — Hindu-Buddhist bronzes, keris daggers, topeng masks, and an outstanding array of wayang kulit shadow puppets. The batik section walks you through the wax-resist dyeing process with examples from the major regional styles, making it a useful stop before you head out to the batik workshops in town.
The museum sits on the north side of the alun-alun (main square), directly opposite the Kraton. The building itself is a fine example of traditional Javanese architecture. On most evenings, the museum stages a live wayang kulit performance in the pavilion — arrive around 20:00 and expect it to run for about two hours. Even if you don't follow the storyline, watching the dalang (puppeteer) manipulate dozens of leather figures behind a backlit screen is mesmerising. Admission is cheap and the museum rarely feels crowded.