Maritime Museum to Officially Reopen: Jakarta, West Java

Jakartans and tourists alike will once again be able to enjoy the city’s Maritime Museum when it officially reopens Friday. Located next to Sunda Kelapa port, the museum was forced to close its doors when a series of high tides hit the area in November. Floodwaters reached as high as 60 centimeters, forcing the museum’s management team to move relics to the second floor of the building. Built in the 17th century, the museum originally served as a Dutch spice warehouse. The museum is now home to about 1,800 relics. Several Japanese cargo ship replicas are also due to arrive at the museum in a few months.

Museum head Dewi Rudiati said a series of renovations were undertaken at the museum while it was temporarily closed. In June, the museum will hold an exhibition titled “Jakarta, a city that started as a port”, which will feature replicas of various ships that have docked in the Sunda Kelapa port over the years as the Jakarta Post article explained. Museum staff are currently creating information labels in Indonesian and English to attract more foreign visitors.