Government Begins Reconstruction of Proclamation House

The government, through the Ministry of Culture, has begun rebuilding the house that served as the venue for the reading of Indonesia’s Proclamation of Independence, aiming to make it an exact replica of the original structure. “We will rebuild it exactly as it was, but without the connecting passageway,” said Culture Minister Fadli Zon during a discussion in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The historic building, located at Jalan Pegangsaan Timur No. 56, Central Jakarta, was where Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta declared independence on 17 August 1945. The original structure was demolished in August 1960 during the era of President Soekarno.

The site will not only feature a faithful reconstruction of the house but will also be developed into a museum called the Proclamation Museum. It will document the process of drafting the proclamation text and the historic moment of the independence declaration.

This effort is part of a government initiative to revive national memory and Indonesian history, ensuring it is remembered, commemorated, and understood by the younger generation. The minister highlighted the growing public interest in museums, revealing that 20,000 museum passport books were recently sold. “It was sold, not given away for free. The price was around Rp83,000 if I’m not mistaken. This shows that Gen Z has extraordinary enthusiasm for museums,” he said, expressing hope that museums will continue to evolve as centres of education and cultural spaces that keep pace with the times.