Local governments urged to increase utilisation of historic buildings

Local governments have been urged to increase the utilisation of cultural heritage sites and historic buildings within their regions to generate greater economic benefits. The Director General of Cultural Protection and Tradition at the Ministry of Culture, Restu Gunawan, stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that Minister of Culture Fadli Zon is encouraging the use of heritage sites for various activities.

‘Until now, our focus has been on protection, so utilisation remains very limited,’ he said. ‘The Minister is encouraging local governments, noting that heritage sites can be repurposed; for example, old buildings could be transformed into cafes, film screening venues, or galleries.’

According to Gunawan, the Ministry of Culture intends for protected historic buildings to serve as living cultural heritage that provides ongoing benefits to the community. ‘We are moving in a direction where these are not merely protected as dead monuments, but as living heritage,’ he explained.

He noted that cultural tourism holds immense economic potential, citing the Palace of Versailles in France, which can generate approximately Rp30 billion per day from ticket sales alone. ‘This demonstrates that culture can be a component of economic strengthening through the development of the cultural economy and creative industries,’ he added on 30 April 2026.

Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of cross-sector collaboration involving the government, private sector, academics, communities, and the mass media in efforts to enhance the utilisation of cultural assets.