'Govt must pay attention to museums'

Many museums here are lonely, neglected places, attracting few visitors and sparking very little interest in the country's history. The Jakarta Post spoke with several people about the issue.

Nanang, 35, is a history teacher at the Global Jaya school in Bintaro, Tangerang. He lives nearby with his wife and three children:

The truth is I'm not interested in visiting museums here even though I am a history teacher. Sounds weird, right?

This is because there is no attraction from an academic point of view, as museums here have limited and outdated collections and information.

If we want to study history, we can access information from the internet or books. So there is no additional value in going to museums.

If museums here were livelier and more colorful, they would attract more visitors.

When I was in Australia, I visited a museum there and I was able to enjoy the atmosphere. The displays were very well organized and visitors could learn something.

Here, the collections in museums are just like knickknacks in somebody's house.

If the government made improving museums a priority, I'm sure they would become attractive tourist sites. The government must pay more attention to museums or cooperate with the private sector to run the museums.

Tedjo, 32, works for an international organization in Central Jakarta. He lives in Kayu Jati, East Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:

I used to go to museums in my hometown Surakarta (Central Java), and I learned a lot from the collections. I loved the atmosphere.

But when I moved to Jakarta, I lost interest. Trying to get by forced me to focus only on financial matters. Jakarta is not the place to learn about culture; it's only good for making money.

I prefer to go to Ancol or somewhere else that is more entertaining when I have some free time. Museums in the capital look gloomy and they put people off.

Maybe the government should renovate the museums or relocated them near places like shopping centers to get more visitors.

I guess I'll have to visit museums again when my daughter starts school.

Marzuki, 40, lives in Kemanggisan, West Jakarta, with his wife and two children. He was walking past the National Museum in Central Jakarta:

I have no idea if I'm interested in visiting museums. I don't have any reason to visit them.

Most museum buildings were built during the colonial era and they look dull and uninteresting.

I imagine I'd find nothing inside but antiquities. It would probably feel like going to a haunted house.

I prefer to go to the zoo. Maybe someday I will have an interest in visiting a museum.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.