The Gedong Kirtya is located in the former colonial capital of Bali, Singaraja. This library annex museum collects, copies and preserves thousands of lontar (palm leaf manuscripts), "prasati" (transcriptions on metal plates) and books which deal with various aspects of human life, such as religion, architecture, philosophy, genealogy, homeopathy, "usada" (medical manuscripts), black magic, and so on, in the Balinese, Kawi (old Javanese) and the Dutch, English and German language.

The Gedong Kirtya was established on June 2nd, 1928 by Resident I.J.J. Calon, who was a government official in Bali and Lombok during the Dutch colonial aera.

The word 'lontar' is composed of two Old Javanese words, namely 'ron' (leaf) and 'tal' (rontal tree). The word 'rontal' therefore means 'leaf of the rontal tree'.

The leaves of the rontal tree have always been used for many purposes, such as for the making of plaited mats, palm sugar wrappers, water scoops, orrnaments, ritual tools, and writing material.