'Experience worth more than admission fee'

'Experience worth more than admission fee'

Jakarta, as one of the oldest cities in the country, was at one
stage rich in historical sites and buildings. However, many of
these have been lost to development, while others have been
abandoned or in a state of disrepair. The Jakarta Post talked to
people about what the city administration should do with the
heritage sites.

Ervina Hutagalung, 42, is a mother of three. She lives with
her family in Bintaro, Tangerang:

I always wonder what the city administration can do to make
Jakarta a better place to educate our children. I'm so tired of
listening to news about student brawls and juvenile delinquency
all over the city.

By protecting historical and heritage sites, and integrating
their existence with the rapid development of the capital and the
school curriculum, as well as giving students a city tour once in
a while, I believe our children will become more interested in
learning about, say, architecture, history, anthropology or other
subjects.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but it would be worth the effort to create
an good environment right here in the metropolis for our children
so as to make them interested in learning more about people, to
value the legacy of others who have gone before them, all the
sort of things that are ignored by most of our children.

Anindhita Maharani, 22, is a journalist with the Detik.com
news portal. She lives in Pamulang, Tangerang, with her family:

I visited the National Museum last year. I just wanted to know
what was inside the museum. I think the array of stuff on display
is quite good. However, many items were poorly maintained.

I was surprised that the entrance ticket cost only Rp 500 (5
US cents) at that time. That is cheap. The educational experience
and information we received was worth a lot more. Maybe the
ticket price is deliberately set low so that even elementary
school students can visit.

But I think the museum management should start considering
charging a higher admission price for other visitors so that they
can improve the maintenance of the museum.

--The Jakarta Post