Minister of Culture Encourages Marlborough Fort to Become a Centre for Education and Historical Tourism
The Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, inspected Marlborough Fort during a working visit to Bengkulu province. In addition to seeing the national cultural heritage site firsthand, the visit also aimed to encourage the optimisation of its use as a centre for education, culture, and historical tourism.
During the inspection, Fadli appreciated the well-maintained condition of Marlborough Fort and its historical value. He believes that the fort has the potential to be developed as a strategic cultural centre, both as an educational space, to strengthen historical identity, and to drive the cultural tourism ecosystem in Bengkulu.
“The condition of this fort is still very well maintained and has a very beautiful view facing the sea. With the various important historical events it has, this area has great potential to be used as a centre for education, a cultural centre, and a space for activating art exhibitions, performing arts, and various other creative activities,” Fadli said in a written statement on Thursday (26/2/2026).
Furthermore, Fadli explained that Bengkulu has a strategic position in history, both during the British and Dutch colonial periods. This region was once the centre of British government, before being under Dutch rule until 1940.
Fadli added that this historical dynamic, including the exchange of territory between Britain and the Netherlands involving Bengkulu, Singapore, and Malacca, is important capital to strengthen the narrative of historical and cultural tourism in the region.
In the context of developing cultural tourism, Fadli also encouraged the organisation of more cultural events and festivals involving young people. He believes that with better transport connectivity and consistent promotion, Bengkulu has great potential to develop as one of the leading national historical and cultural tourism destinations.
“Not only events, massive and measurable promotion is also needed to promote the cultural wealth of Bengkulu. This way, more people will come here,” he added.
In addition, Fadli emphasised the importance of making culture the foundation for sustainable regional development. According to him, the cultural sector is able to create a new economic ecosystem through the development of the cultural economy and industry, while also opening up opportunities for the birth of creative talents in Bengkulu in various fields, such as performing arts, music, film, literature, and visual arts.
For information, Marlborough Fort is a colonial-era British fort located in the city of Bengkulu. The fort was built between 1714-1719 by the East India Company under the leadership of Joseph Collett.
Currently, the management of Marlborough Fort is under the Public Service Agency of the Museum and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture. With its well-maintained condition, the fort functions as a centre for education, a historical tourist destination, and a space for organising various activities and cultural events.
Through this visit, it is hoped that Marlborough Fort can continue to be developed as a dynamic, inclusive, and productive cultural centre, as well as a driver of the cultural and historical tourism ecosystem in Bengkulu. This effort is expected to strengthen the regional cultural identity, increase community participation, and encourage the growth of a creative economy based on cultural heritage.
Accompanying Fadli on this visit were, among others, the Director General of Cultural and Traditional Protection, Restu Gunawan; Special Staff of the Minister for Protocol and Household Affairs, Rachmanda Primayuda; and Head of the Regional Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre VII Bengkulu, Iskandar Mulia Siregar.
(ega/ega)