Here is some of my activities.....
Visits to museums
Sometime in February, me, accompany 2 members of working team from Japan to visit several museums in Jakarta, along with their secretary.
Start on 8.30 from my place, to pick up the team on their hotels, then because that day is the Car Free Day -every Sunday the last/fourt week of the month, the Sudirman and Thamrin street are closed for cars and other vehicle- so we couldn't take cab to the destination, coz it will take detour and cost more time. So we take the Transjakarta bus.
*transport info: take the transjakarta bus on 1st coridor or Blok M-Kota, you getting off on "Monumen nasional" stop. then you cross left.
About 9.45 we arrive at National Museum, known as "Museum Gajah" or elephant museum, because there is an elephant statue in front of the museum.
while we were waiting for the secretary to arrive, we look at the front yard, where they located elephant statue and some cannons.
the elephant statue was given by Siam King, some time in 1800s
on 10, we enter the museum, very cheap, only 1,000 IDR. there are so so so many collection here.
in the main building, the old one there are ancient statue comes from all over Indonesia, also ceramics made of several countries like china, japan and others. Then collection about tribes in Indonesia, their traditional homes, cloths, jeweleries, musical instruments.
Going north to the new building, there are 4 floors of museums section, if you looking for the toilet, it is in the basement. the small canteen and souvenier shop are in ground floor. in the ground floor, you can find some fossils that found in Indonesia.
Going up to 2nd and 3rd floor, there are more collection about Indonesia.
on 4th, you can find collection about gold.
MOVE ON to the next destination, Bank Mandiri Museum
Again, we take the transjakarta bus, get off on the last stop, Kota, we walk trough basement to across the street.
This building was the real bank in Dutch Colonialism, to enter this museum you need to pay, just 5,000 IDR, but if you are the Bank Mandiri's customer, it is free.
in here, you can find old things related to the bank activities like bonds, utensils, office equipment, and my favorites place is the basement, where the safe deposit is located.
This place is very safe, even when the building itself is destroyed, fall down, this part is safe because separately made of concrete. The strong box here beside to keep belonging of the Dutch mans, also used to keep their dead body before taken to Nederland because ship is not always ready to take it there, this story added with the quiteness scare me sometime.
On the stairway to second floor, you can find window of glass work, show several things:
- 4 season in Nederland
- Picture of Cornelis de Houtman, former Governor in the colonialism
- 4 ship of Cornelis, along with their names, sorry I couldn't remember it
On the second floor, there is several meeting room, and the board of directors room. hey there is toilet on this floor too.
Next: Bank Indonesia Museum
This museum is quite good and modern, free of charge but you have to ask for the ticket, and no food or drink and even bag allowed to bring in. For girls, don't worry to get bother with carry your purse and other small things in your hand, they provide small plastic bag to carry it, very nice service.
This museum provide you with knowledge of economics and Indonesian economy history with its display. Several spot also nice for taking pictures.
My favorite spot is the wall of falling coins, on this dynamic wall, you can try to catch the coins, if you succeed, there is a pop up information about the coins, or just simply play with this coins to catch or bounce it with your hand he he.
Other is a board of word, same like the coins, you catch the alphabet to arrange into word.
If you haven't ever see a gold bar in life,here you can see the fake one but has the same sizse and weight,it is very heavy for one single bar.
If you want to learn about currency, either Indonesian or other countries, you can find it here. there is a special room contains coin and money from all over the world, and remember NO PHOTOGRAPH is allowed in this section.
BTW, the toilet is in the back section.
Hmm, there is a section too, but sometime it is restricted to visitors, it is the rooms for the board of directors. A little freaky for me. The room complete with room for their secretary, wardrobe closet and also the bathroom.
If you want to see ancient brick, go to theback of the building, you can find it in glass, near to this place is the place to pray for moslems.
Next, find place to eat he he
Actually I want to visit the Fatahillah Museum, but we were exhausted and hungry, so end of the journey that day is here.
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