Musuems must innovate 'or lose visitors to malls'

Musuems must innovate 'or lose visitors to malls'

JAKARTA (JP): Unless the city's museums offer more attractive
concepts to lure visitors they will be overwhelmed by the
popularity of malls and recreation parks, an official said.

The head of the local museums and renovation agency, Haswidi
A. Taufik, said yesterday that museums in Jakarta were not on the
public's list of entertainment priorities.

"People's interest in visiting museums is still poor. They
aren't in the habit of coming to museums or do not consider them
educational or recreational destinations," Haswidi said at the
Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum at Taman Fatahillah in West
Jakarta.

"People still prefer spending time at shopping malls or
recreational parks, instead of museums."

This lack of public interest has forced museums to improve
their services they offer.

The director of Jakarta's Historical Museum at Taman
Fatahillah, Adji Damais, agreed that significant improvements
were needed to attract more people and encourage them to stay
longer.

"We want people to bring along their families to museums and
feel comfortable," Adji said. "That's why we should create a
better atmosphere."

New concepts may help rid museums of their "old ambience",
which does not attract patrons.

Museums will not only display valuable artifacts but be
replete with book stores, libraries and cafes, he said.

The book stores, for instance, could offer a wide range of
travel guides or specially designed postcards while the libraries
could offer visitors in-depth information about the artifacts on
display, Adji said.

When visitors are exhausted and wanted to rest, they can relax
at the cafes, which would be similar in design to those overseas,
he said.

"With those facilities, I believe people will stay for more
than an hour instead of the usual quick trip in a few minutes."

Haswidi said that under the new concept, museums would have to
spend money on updating security devices.

For example, the traditional entrance ticket would be replaced
by an electronic system, which would cost at least Rp 300 million
(US$100,942) per unit, he said.

Early start

Some museums have started implementing these new concepts and
their unveiling will coincide with the launched a series of
exhibitions on Thursday.

The exhibitions, organized by the city municipality, are
located at six museums in a bid to promote Jakarta's treasures
and lure more museum enthusiasts.

The first exhibition, a two-month display of ancient ceramics,
will feature ceramics from the Majapahit Kingdom in Trowulan,
East Java. The Majapahit Ceramics Exhibition will be held at West
Jakarta's Ceramics Museum.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja is scheduled to open the
exhibition, which will include a workshop and discussions on
Indonesian ceramics.

On the same day, the governor will open a cafe built in the
museum's right wing. The cafe, the first built inside a museum
compound, features colonial architecture and serves both
Indonesian and European cuisine.

The cafe provides chamber music and keroncong, traditional
music, for the entertainment of patrons.

A painting exhibition, From Mooi Indie to Persagi Era, will
also open Thursday at the Fine Arts Museum and run until Dec. 24.

Two other exhibitions, one on wayang (puppets) and one on
traditional boats, will be held in October.

The month-long puppet exhibition will start on Oct. 26 at the
Puppet Museum and display a wide range of puppets from Indonesia,
Asia and Europe.

A month-long History of Indonesian Vessels exhibition will be
held at North Jakarta's Maritime Museum on Jl. Pasar Ikan
starting on Oct. 28. (ste)