"Popularia: The Untold Story Behind Popular Music in Indonesia" is a temporary exhibition running from September 19, 2026, to February 21, 2027, organized by the Galeri Budaya Tionghoa Indonesia (GBTI) in collaboration with Irama Nusantara. Located in the Temporary Gallery at Pantjoran PIK, Jakarta, the exhibition highlights the behind-the-scenes evolution of Indonesian popular music, placing a particular focus on the historical contributions of the Chinese-Indonesian community in shaping the country's music industry from the colonial era to the present day.

Key Details & Highlights

Exhibition Focus: Unlike traditional music showcases that focus solely on onstage performers or famous songwriters, Popularia explores the hidden machinery of the industry. It covers recording studio developments, production workflows, historical technologies, and distribution channels that allowed music to reach the masses.

Cultural History: The event maps out how the Chinese-Indonesian community laid fundamental foundations for the local music industry, adopting early technology and forming the modern consumption patterns of Indonesian pop music.

Interactive Elements: Visitors can directly engage with musical history by listening to archival audio through vintage monophones and utilizing a mini karaoke booth installed at the venue.

Visitor Information

Venue: Galeri Budaya Tionghoa Indonesia (GBTI), Temporary Gallery, Pantjoran PIK, Jakarta.

Dates: September 19, 2026 – February 21, 2027.

Ticket Prices: Rp 50,000 for adults and Rp 35,000 for children and students (ticket prices include admission to the gallery's Permanent Exhibition space).