Indonesia pushes more university museums to preserve heritage

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Culture Minister Fadli Zon has encouraged higher education institutions across Indonesia to establish museums as centers for education, research, and public learning about institutional history.

“We aim to mobilize all higher education institutions, especially those aged over 50 years, to have a museum,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

Speaking after inaugurating the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Museum in Bandung, West Java, on Friday (July 3), the minister expressed hope that ITB would inspire other universities to follow suit, expanding Indonesia's museum network beyond its current total of 516 museums.

He emphasized that museums should be designed as dynamic, engaging spaces that inspire younger generations while contributing to the economy through cultural tourism.

Highlighting the ITB Museum, Zon described its inauguration—following eight years of development—as a concrete step toward strengthening Indonesia's museum ecosystem and preserving the nation's intellectual heritage, in line with broader efforts to advance national culture.

"This museum represents culture and civilization. More than a repository of artifacts, it embodies the collective memory of an institution. ITB is a distinguished institution that has produced many prominent national figures," he said.

Zon also called on universities, regional governments, businesses, and the wider community to work together to develop museums as educational institutions that promote and preserve Indonesian culture, in accordance with Article 32 of the 1945 Constitution.

The ITB Museum was designed as an interactive and participatory space that chronicles the university's journey since its establishment as Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng under Dutch colonial rule in 1920.

The museum features four main exhibition zones highlighting ITB's history, its contributions to research and education, campus life across different eras, and its vision for the future.

ITB Rector Tatacipta Dirgantara said the museum was created as a place where the university's history meets its aspirations for the future.

"This is a space for knowledge, reflection, dialogue, and inspiration. It is not merely a memorial, but also a source of lessons for future generations," he said.

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Translator: Sri Dewi, Tegar Nurfitra

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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