Agency to expand, refurbish museums

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.