Things to Do in Medan, Indonesia: Walking Guide

The best things to do in Medan include visiting former royal buildings, historic mosques, museums, temples, and houses linked to the city’s Chinese Malay heritage. North Sumatra’s capital is a rewarding destination in its own right, with a cultural mix that becomes especially clear as you move between its landmarks. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Medan with 19 narrated places.

What to See in Medan

Maimun Palace

Maimun Palace, or Istana Maimun, is one of Medan’s best-known landmarks and the former palace of the Deli Sultanate. Commissioned by the Sultan of Deli, it was built between 1888 and 1891 to a design by Capt. Theodoor van Erp, a Dutch East Indies military officer.

The palace covers 2,772 square metres and has 30 rooms across two floors. Its main building, left wing, and right wing face east, towards the Great Mosque of Medan. The interior is particularly notable for its combination of Deli Malay, Islamic, Spanish, Indian, Dutch, and Italian influences.

Great Mosque of Medan

The Great Mosque of Medan, also known as Mesjid Raya Al Mashun Medan, stands in front of Maimun Palace. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1909, when the mosque formed part of the palace complex.

Its unusual octagonal layout has wings extending to the south, east, north, and west. Middle Eastern, Indian, and Spanish architectural influences give the building a distinctive appearance.

North Sumatra Museum

The North Sumatra Museum, or Museum Negeri Sumatera Utara, introduces the history, culture, art, and craftsmanship of the province. Construction began in 1954, when President Soekarno laid the foundation stone in the form of a pair of makara. The museum officially opened on April 19, 1982.

Its displays represent the variety of traditions found across North Sumatra. The museum is on Jalan H. M. Jhoni number 51, in Medan’s Pasar Merah area.

Indonesian Plantation Museum

The Indonesian Plantation Museum, also called Museum Perkebunan Indonesia, focuses on Indonesia’s plantation industry. In its two-storey building, visitors can find information about plantations in the past, along with displays of plantation products and their history.

North Sumatra Press Struggle Museum

The North Sumatra Press Struggle Museum, or Museum Perjuangan Pers Sumatera Utara, explores the history and development of mass media in North Sumatra, with particular attention to Medan. Its collections include objects from the early period of Indonesia’s struggle for independence, linking the story of the press to the wider history of that time.

Tjong A Fie Mansion

Tjong A Fie Mansion is a historic two-storey house in Kesawan, built for the Hakka merchant Tjong A Fie. Completed in 1900, the house combines Chinese, European, Malay, and Art Deco influences.

Part of the mansion has been open to the public since 2009. It offers an insight into Tjong A Fie’s life and the Chinese Malay culture of Medan, and is protected as a cultural heritage site by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture.

Gang Bengkok Old Mosque

Gang Bengkok Old Mosque, known locally as Masjid Lama Gang Bengkok, stands on Jalan Mesjid in Kesawan. The Chinese merchant Tjong A Fie funded its construction, which began in 1885; renovation was completed in 1889. He later handed the mosque to the Deli Sultanate during the reign of Sultan Deli Ma’moen Al Rasyid.

The mosque is a striking example of the connections between Medan’s Chinese merchant community and the Deli sultanate.

Sri Mariamman Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple, or Kuil Shri Mariamman, is a Hindu place of worship in Kampung Madras. Built in 1881, it is regarded as the oldest Hindu temple in Petisah Tengah, Medan Petisah.

The temple was created for worship of the goddess Mariamman. Its most recognisable feature is the gopuram, the tiered tower above the entrance traditionally found at South Indian Hindu temples.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important Catholic church in Medan. Its presence, alongside the city’s mosques, Hindu temple, and heritage buildings, reflects the religious and cultural variety found across the city.

Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery

Rahmat International Wildlife Museum and Gallery presents wildlife displays together with a message about protecting nature. The museum opened on May 14, 1999, and an expansion later added about 3,000 square metres, bringing the collection to around 2,500 species.

Located in Petisah Hulu, in Medan Baru, the museum offers an educational look at the diversity of the natural world and the importance of preserving it.

Raz Museum & Gallery

Raz Museum and Gallery is a six-floor private museum built around the memories of the Sofyan Raz family. Its displays turn everyday objects into reminders of family stories, history, and personal connections.

The museum was founded by Rahmawaty Sofyan Raz, whose collecting hobby grew into a place where visitors can explore the heritage behind the objects. It is managed by Raz Group and has received several certificates of recognition from the Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia.

Other museums and historic places

Several further museums add depth to Medan’s history:

• The Perjuangan TNI 45 Museum, also known as the Museum Perjuangan TNI, preserves a part of the city’s military history.
• The Situs Kota China Museum, or Museum Situs Kotta Cinna, stands in Paya Pasir Village near Siombak Lake. Built in 2008 by historian Ichwan Azhari and inaugurated by the government in 2009, it preserves relics connected with China City, an international trading port.
• The Sumatran Numismatic Museum, or Museum Uang Sumatera, was established as Sumatra’s first museum of money, with a collection focused on Indonesian currency and historically important objects. It was inaugurated on May 2, 2017, and was originally located on the second floor of Gedung Juang 45 in North Sumatra. It has since moved to the Aceh Jaya Regent’s Office in Aceh.

Al-Osmani Mosque

Around 20 kilometres north of Medan, in Pekan Labuhan, Al-Osmani Mosque is recognised as the oldest mosque in the city. Sultan Osman Perkasa Alam, the seventh ruler of Deli, founded it in 1854.

The original mosque was built from carefully selected wood. Between 1870 and 1872, his son, Sultan Mahmud Perkasa Alam, transformed it into a permanent structure.

Explore Medan with a self-guided audio tour

A Medan self-guided walking tour is an easy way to connect the city’s landmarks without joining a group. Neywo’s free audio guide tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Medan currently has one walking tour and one bus route:

• Sultans, Tycoons and Temples: Medan’s Multicultural Heart: a 4.68-kilometre walk lasting 115 minutes, with 9 narrated stops. It includes the Great Mosque of Medan, Maimun Palace, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tjong A Fie Mansion, Gang Bengkok Old Mosque, the Perjuangan TNI 45 Museum, Sri Mariamman Temple, Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery, and Vihara Gunung Timur.
• Medan Heritage Angkot Ride: a 4-kilometre bus route lasting 17 minutes, with 4 narrated stops. It includes the Indonesian Plantation Museum, Sumatran Numismatic Museum, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Tjong A Fie Mansion.

Download Neywo to explore Medan with its stories playing automatically as you arrive at each place. If you are continuing through Indonesia, you can also discover destinations such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, or Bukittinggi with the app.