Agency to expand, refurbish museums
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Expanding the Puppet Museum and renovating the Maritime Museum are next on the list of the City Culture and Museum Agency's plan for the year 2004 following the success of the Jakarta Historical Museum, better known as Fatahillah Museum, in attracting visitors by some innovative programs.
Head of the agency, Nurhadi Sastrapradja, said on Thursday that the plan to expand the Puppet Museum, located next to Fatahillah Museum in downtown Kota, West Jakarta, was made possible after the city administration received a donation from businessman Probosutedjo, former president Soeharto's stepbrother.
"The building next to the museum is also a city heritage site. So we will use it for the museum expansion plan," he told a press conference.
Nurhadi also said that the agency would renovate the Maritime Museum on Jl. Pasar Ikan, Penjaringan subdistrict, North Jakarta, as well as complete its collection.
"The museum is in a very poor condition and nobody is interested to visit," he said. "Our first priority is to beautify the interior before restoring the exterior and the surrounding environment."
However, Nurhadi did not provide a timetable for the plans.
The museum next on the list is the Textile Museum in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.
For the Fatahillah Museum, Nurhadi said that the museum management would acquire a new building behind the museum building next year.
Most museums in Jakarta have been neglected and do not have attractive programs but Fatahillah Museum made a breakthrough recently by arranging some programs including fun bike rides through historical sites, night tours and even staging a drama within the museum compound. Such innovative programs have finally attracted the public's attention and they have begun to visit the museum.
"Ideally, museums must have a canteen or a shop for visitors who wish to dine or buy souvenirs. A library with a complete collection of books would also help visitors who are conducting research," he said.