The National Museum of Indonesia links the past, present, and future in a new face at its reopening, October 15, 2024, after being closed for one year after a fire on September 16, 2023.
“In the upcoming inaugural opening, the National Museum has a new mindset, not only to talk about the past, but to connect with the present and the future,” said Acting Head of the Indonesian Heritage Agency (IHA) Ahmad Mahendra at the opening press conference of the National Museum in Jakarta, Friday.
Mahendra said, in addition to physical transformation efforts or renewal of the building, the National Museum of Indonesia also transformed the mindset by presenting collections in the showroom as a product of knowledge that is able to represent the identity and pride of the nation.
“So, we are transforming the mindset, not only internally but also to the community, giving them an understanding of the museum as an open and inclusive place,” he said.
Also read: National Museum displays “Nekara” exhibition narrating the story of the fire
In addition, according to him, the transformation of thinking is also carried out through giving access to respect for Indigenous people who feel they have a connection with certain cultures in historical objects displayed at the National Museum.
“We get new knowledge and life about the museum, which used to feel owned, used to come from which community, given access, even ways of respect are also given access, it becomes part of our local knowledge and wisdom,” he said.
He also emphasized that Iha’s cultural reimagination efforts are one way to build a new ecosystem at the museum.
“So, don’t be compartmentalized (his mindset) and don’t just keep (his historical objects), this IHA is transforming, reimagining, promoting cultural efforts, how people and museums are related in two directions,” he said.
Also read: National Museum presents smiling Nandi statue at repatriation exhibition
On October 15, 2024, the National Museum will be opened to the public with an entrance fee of IDR 25 thousand for adults and IDR 15 thousand for children.
The National Museum of Indonesia displays the temporary exhibition “beating Nekara, dousing the fire ” which displays the story of the fire that hit the museum. In addition, a number of cultural heritage objects from the Singhasari period (Singosari) are also displayed, including four-armed Brahma and Ganesha standing, including other unique statues namely the smiling Nandi statue in the repatriation exhibition.
Nandi is the vehicle of Lord Shiva as well as the guardian of Shiva’s residence. In Sanskrit, Nandi means happiness or contentment.
The Nandi statue presented this time has a more complete ornament than the one exhibited in the breezeway of Building B of the National Museum of Indonesia, which has two complete horns, while the one in the breezeway is in a broken condition.
Read also: National Museum displays new narratives in three buildings starting October 15
The repatriation exhibition also features jewelry from the Kingdom of Lombok, and Dutch looted objects from Puputan (War) Badung, Klungkung, and Tabanan, Bali, and can be viewed by the general public from October 15 to December 31, 2024.