Heritage: Jakarta History Museum

The museum is located in down-town jakarta and it is the oldest building in Jakarta. This building was originally used as Town Hall of Batavia, which was built and inaugurated in 1710. At first, activities in this building besides dealing with government affairs, also dealt with marriage, judicial and trade affairs, making people in the past know it as "Speaking Building". After Indonesia gained its independence, the building was once used as Quarter of Military District 0503 of west Jakarta. Approaching 1970, it was preserved by jakarta City Government and on April 4, 1974 it was officially made Museum of History of Jakarta.

The museum features the historical development of the city, using a display of various kinds of furniture, chinaware, a map of Jakarta from the 18th century, portraits of Batavia's Governor General, European porcelains used bu them, stoneware, old gravestones, kitchen utensils, coins, etc. There area among others, the replica of the Tugu Inscription from the age of Great King Purnawrman, forming evidence that the center fo the Kingdom of Tarumanegara was located in around the seaportt of Tanjung Priok. Further, the historical evidence of the age of Sunda Kelapa Harbor is represented by a map of the 16th century of the establishment of the City the Bronze cannon and through various drawings and maps of the 17th century. Collection of furniture of Betawi style from the 17th, 18th and 19th century is the richest collection and belongs to the most complete one in the world. This collection is very interesting since it's reflects the association of the community of the City of Batavia with various cultural elements from Europe, especially Dutch, China, India and Indonesia.

Is in front of the museum with an inscription in Latin reading: "Ex Me Ipsa Renata Sum" means "I am reborn from myself". Its exact origin is not known but people call the cannon "Si Jagur" and many believe that it possesses certain mystical powers. Childless women go there to make offerings of flowers, hoping to be blessed with children.

Address : Jl. Taman Fatahillah No. 1, Central Jakarta (check location on wikimapia)

Phone : +6221-6929101

Operating hours :

Tuesday - Sunday : 09.00-15.00

Closed on Monday / Public Holiday

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

Heritage: National Museum

The Indonesian National Museum offers historical, prehistorically, archaeological and ethnographic aspects of Indonesia through its extensive collection of artifacts and relics which date as far back as to the Stone Age. It has one of the most complete collections of bronzes and ceramics dating back to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties.

The Museum has one of the finest numismatic collections in the world. Currently the Museum National houses collections of 109.342 objects under categories of prehistory, archaeology, ethnography, numismatics-heraldic, geography and historical relics. The religious art section is filled with statues and sculpture salvaged from sites of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic edifices. Its collection of Cultural instruments, household utensils, arts and crafts provides an introduction to the life of the various ethnic groups which populate Indonesia.

This museum is popularly known as Gedung Gajah or “Elephant Building” because of the elephant stone offered by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand in 1871 placed on the front lawn of the building. They offer two type of service; Consulting and Conservation & Service, Gift Shop and Parking Lot were available. Provide tours which conduct by The Indonesian Heritage Society in several languages.

Address : Jln. Medan Merdeka Barat No.12, Central Jakarta
Phone : +6221-3812346

Operating hours :

Tuesday - Thursday, Sunday : 8.30 am to 2.30 pm;

Friday : 8.30 am to 11.30 am;

Saturday : 8.30 am to 1.30 pm
The Museum is closed on Monday.

Admission charges:
Adults - Rp750
Children under 17 years and students - Rp250

Tours:
The Indonesian Heritage Society conducts tours of the Museum at the following times
English: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.30 am & LAST SUNDAY of every month at 10.30 am
Japanese: Tuesday 10 am and FIRST SUNDAY of every month at 10 am
German: Thursday 10 am

Check the museum's web : www.museumnasional.org

Museums

Museum lovers, you really have to check historical museums in Jakarta, although I might say that some museums are not well-managed by the government and some are creepy enough and made me get goosebumps when I entered..


Fatahillah Square
This open-air museum of Old Batavia, now called Jakarta, Taman Fatahillah (Fatahillah Square) has three main establishments standing on the south, east and west of the cobblestone square proper. The first is the Jakarta Museum which exhibits the colonial history of the city by also includes relics from the pre-colonial past. The edifice on the east, formerly the Supreme Court, houses the Fine Arts Gallery and the Ceramics Museum containing, among others, the excellent Chinese and Southeast Asian ceramics collection donated by the late former Vice President Adam Malik. On the western side of the square is the Wayang Museum, filled with all sorts of puppets used in the indigenous puppet theatre. The largest part of the collection consists of wayang kulit flat leather puppets of various types from various regions. Demonstrations of the shadow play, lasting two hours, are given every Sunday morning. Fatahillah Square in colonial era was used as a prison for those who against the colony.
TIPS : Fatahillah Square, now, located in Kota, you can access this museum easily by TransJakarta (see TransJakarta Corridor Map) and there's a Batavia Cafe just in front of Fatahillah Square, good choice for your afternoon tea or dinner. Do not go there on weekdays, you'll lose your excitement because of the exhaustion from long and awful traffic in Kota.

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National Monument (ID: Monumen Nasional)
The 137-metre tall monument with the gold flame on top facing the Presidential Palace in Jakarta symbolizes the nation's independence. The basement of the monument houses a Museum of History with dioramas depicting the history of Indonesia from prehistoric times up to the present. A good portion of it is devoted to the national war for independence waged from 1945 to December 1949. Not part of the museum but located similarly at the foot of the National Monument is the Hall of Silence, Indonesia's first President, Soekarno, can be heard. Located at Jalan Silang Monas Jakarta.
TIPS : Nowadays, Monas often used as a center of public demonstration, so please check local radio (SONORA or ELSHINTA) before your visit.


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Armed Forces Museum | http://g.co/maps/j8zzk
Located in the southern part of Jakarta, is the Satria Mandala Museum, or Armed Forces Museum. This museum has an interesting collection of arms, including Japanese fighter planes of World War II vintage, Russian and American guns and armoured cars. Dioramas give the visitor an insight regarding the role of the Indonesian Armed Services in this country. Located at Jalan Jend. Gatot Subroto, Jakarta.
TIPS : skip your lunch or maybe just bring your lunch, the location near business district (Kuningan), so you you will save your time on weekends to go somehere else. Please be aware of Jakarta traffic rules and regulations, Three-In-One, in Gatot Subroto.

The Textile Museum | http://g.co/maps/yddqj 
The Textile Museum on Jalan Sasuit Tubun in Jakarta, a many times renovated 19th century mansion, houses a collection of about 600 different kinds of traditional Indonesian textiles, from batik to ikat and Dayak bark cloths. Weaving was and often still is closely connected with religious practice In many regions such textiles are still user to pay fines, avert illness or for other social and religious purposes. Some of the oldest Indonesian ornamental designs arc found in their original textiles.
TIPS : We just realize that we really proud of Batik (finally), Indonesian local designers make some improvement for Batik to be more accustomed and wearable on daily basis activities. Modern Batik can be easily purchased with reasonable price (bargain required) in any ITCs (International Trade Center) in Jakarta.

Central Museum | http://g.co/maps/tvtn3
Jakarta's Central Museum is reputedly one of the finest in Southeast Asia. Founded in 1788, it still has the world's most complete collection of Indonesian artifacts. Its Hindu-Javanese collection rivals that of the Leiden Museum in Holland, reputedly the finest in the world. It has one the richest collections of Han, Tang and Ming porcelain and an array of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese export ceramics Its numismatic collection includes rare specimens of cloth-money used in the past in various areas of Indonesia. Adjacent to the museum is the National Library with over 700,000 old and recent volumes of books, manuscripts and periodicals covering virtually every subject on Indonesian. Located at JI. Merdeka Barat 12. This museum is popularly known as Gedung Gajah or "Elephant Building" because of the stone elephant offered by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand in 1871, placed on the front lawn of the building.

TIPS : Three-In-One rule is applied in the area, use TransJakarta would be a good choice.

source: http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/special/museum.html