Heritage: Shadow Puppet (Wayang) Museum

The Shadow Puppet Museum is situated to the west of the Jakarta History Museum. It was originally a church, built in 1649, and called Oude Hollandsche Kerk (Old Dutch Church). In 1730 it was rebuilt and given a new name “Nieuwe Hollandsche Kerk” (New Dutch Church). The building was then destroyed by an earthquake. The remnants of the building were totally demolished upon instruction of Governor General Daendles. Shadow Puppet (commonly known as Wayang) in Indonesia, especially on Java Island, was originally a product of the Royal Court culture.

It was first used as an instrument of worship to the ancestors, and after the Hindu culture entered Indonesia in around the 5th century, it developed shifting of values. The congregation consisted of high functionaries and their families and continued to function as a church until 1808.

The building as it appears today is the one that was built in 1912, as a store house owned by Geo Webry. In 19339 the building was bought by the Bataviaschee Genootschap Van Kunstenen en Wetenschappen (Batavia Arts and Science Institute).

Address : Pintu Besar Utara No. 27, West Jakarta
Phone : +6221-6929560
Operating Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday : 09.00am – 03.00 pm
Closed on Monday / Public Holiday