Museum Bahari valuable but neglected<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Like buried treasure, it's tough to find the Indonesian maritime
\nhistory museum, which is hidden away in the corner between the
\nbusy Pasar Ikan and Pakin roads in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The entrance to Museum Bahari is small two-meter wide gate
\nwith no clear sign advertising its existence, more proof the city
\nadministration does not seriously promote heritage in the area.<\/p>\n
Inside, the museum's collection is rich and varied, consisting
\none of about 1,860 historical artifacts from throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Head of the museum education and exhibition unit, Mulyono
\nHartono, said the gloomy aspect of the museum building, which was
\nconstructed in 1652, was partly to blame for people's lack of
\nenthusiasm in visiting.<\/p>\n
\"Not many people want to come in here ... when they do, their
\nfirst complaint is the difficulty finding their way in,\" he told
\nThe Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
There were only about 1,000 visitors a month to the museum on
\naverage, mostly foreign tourists and students from Greater
\nJakarta, Mulyono said. Each visitor pays Rp 2,000 (23 US cents)
\nfor admission, while students enter for half price.<\/p>\n
The fee is much less than that charged to many visitors at
\nother tourist destinations -- Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta; Taman
\nMini Indonesia Indah amusement park in East Jakarta; and Ancol
\nDreamland in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
As it only collects about Rp 2 million a month from visitors,
\nthe museum is largely dependent on the city administration's
\nsubsidy. Its monthly operational costs reach up to Rp 10 million,
\nnot including employees' salaries.<\/p>\n
Most of the budget goes into the preservation of the
\ncollections that take visitors back to the country's old days of
\nseafarers, pirates and the old port city of Batavia, the
\nbeginning of modern Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Visitors can see miniature and life-sized traditional ships
\nfrom throughout the country, fishermen's equipment, ship-building
\ntechnology, navigation equipment, a miniature of Onrust island
\nand the history of Dutch sailors in the country.<\/p>\n
The museum's building has its own history. Originally a spice
\nstorehouse during the Dutch colonial period, the building was
\nused as a military depot during the Japanese invasion. Later in
\nthe late 1940s, the Indonesian government converted it into a
\npower and telecommunications office.<\/p>\n
The building was officiated as Museum Bahari in 1977 by the
\nthen city governor Ali Sadikin.<\/p>\n
Most analyses of heritage sites said Museum Bahari had good
\neconomic prospects not only because of its rich collection but
\nalso because it sat among many historical sites.<\/p>\n
The Outlook Tower is located within the museum's compound, the
\nSunda Kelapa seaport and its maritime tourist destination are a
\nwalkable distance, as are the old business district Gedung
\nPandjang, the Luar Batang Mosque and Cafe Galangan.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the administration's Old City Project, which is
\naimed at improving the condition of old buildings and historical
\nsites, has not been completed because of financial constraints.<\/p>\n
Mulyono said museum management had proposed many changes to
\nimprove the museum, including the expansion of the display rooms,
\nthe construction of an eye-catching entrance gate and parking
\nlots for visitors.<\/p>\n
The management has also considered changing the museum
\nentrance from Jl. Pasar Ikan to Jl. Pakin.<\/p>\n
Martono Yuwono, the manager of the Sunda Kelapa maritime
\ntourist resort, said a serious resumption of the Old City Project
\nwould be the key factor in promoting historical sites on the
\ncity's northern coast.<\/p>\n
\"Historical sites in this area are potential resources if all
\nparties pay serious attention to developing and promoting them,\"
\nMartono told the Post recently.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/museum-bahari-valuable-but-neglected-1447893297",
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