Seri Menanti (Negeri Sembilan Malay: Soghi Monanti or Sonanti; Jawi: سري مننتي‎) is a town, a mukim, and a state assembly constituency in Kuala Pilah District, central Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, located 33 km (20.5 m) east of the state capital city of Seremban and 14 km (8.7 m) southwest of Kuala Pilah.

The Minangkabau people migrated to the wider area of Negeri Sembilan during the 14th century as part of the Minang practice of merantau.

The design has subtle hints of Minangkabau architecture; five levels rise to a height of 67 feet, or approximately twenty meters.

The drawings and plans for Istana Lama were detailed by a Mr. Woodford of the Public Works Department, and based on the designs provided by two local craftsmen, Kahar and Taib.

A few traditionally styled houses, derivative of the Minangkabau design Rumah Gadang, remain standing around Seri Menanti and in the adjacent villages.

[3] In February 2009, the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal announced that the Istana Lama Seri Menanti is among ten historical structures in Malaysia gazette as a national heritage, along with Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and The Stadthuys in Malacca.