Taman Prasasti Museum (Jakarta)

Taman Prasasti means Inscription Garden. This museum located at Jl Tanah Abang I No. 1 Central Jakarta. It location is not easy to find and with small parking lot. Like other museums at Indonesia, the entrance fee is very cheap, which is Rp 2,000 for adults, Rp 1,000 for students and Rp 600 for kids/students. Operating time is 9:00 am until 3:00 pm on Tuesday's - Sunday, while Monday and public holidays the museum is closed. For detail information, schedule and ensure the admission fee, please contact to the phone number: (021) 3854060.



To get there, you went through Jl. Jend. Sudirman to the north, passed by Jl.M.H. Thamrin, turned to the left at Arjuna Wiwaha statue roundabout to Jl. Budi Kemuliaan, then turned to the right to Jl. Abdul Muis. Jl. Tanah Abang 1 is the third street to the left.

This museum is not a usual museum, first because this is an outdoor museum, and second this is a cemetery. Everything in this museum are related to cemetery such as statue at funeral, tombstone, funeral transportation, weird isn't it ? Take a tour to cemetery...

This place's name was Kebon Jahe Kober, it was a cemetery for Dutch and Europe's people at Indonesia. At 1795 this cemetery used for VIP people from Indonesia's government. But after 1975 this cemetery was closed, but Jakarta's governor - Ali Sadikin - see the opportunity of this place for tourism, so at 19 Juli 1977 , Governor Ali Sadikin inaugurate this place as Museum Prasasti (Insription Museum).

Most collection inside this Museum are fine work from talented carver, they are very beautiful, very detail in design and have a high quality material. At this museum there is a wooden carriages that used to bring the coffins in funerals, which usually drawn by two to four horses. Total collections stored in the museum about of 1,734 pieces collections of gravestone inscriptions, monument / memorial, trophies, statues, etc. There are many tombstones here from government, artist, scientist, military and even priest. Several of the most important tombstones here are; Lady Marianne Raffles' [wife of Governor Raffles], Soe Hok Gie, J.H.R Kohler, Dr. W.F. Stutterheim, Dr. H. F. Roll, Pieter Erberveld, Olivia Mariamne Raffles, Miss Riboet and several Dutch Governor

When we came to this place there are not only few visitors, just a group of young people who take a picture with models. This place famous in outdoor photo session or for film making. I saw once on the TV this place used for music video clip. Ticket officer offers a guide service to explain the history of this place. But we decided to take a look by ourselves. They give a free small booklet about history of this museum, what inside this museum, etc.

We can feel the fresh air because there are a lot of trees, but beware of mosquitos, you can found a lot of mosquito especially during afternoon. Better if you using anti mosquito lotion to get mosquito away from you. There is a sidewalk along the area, so we can look around this museum easily. Too bad, lot of precious things are in the very bad condition because of poor maintenance.
We saw many of tombstone are broken. The toilet also has a poor condition... It ashamed, that we cannot take care our heritage. We hope Indonesia's government will put more attention about it.

Have a nice trip.
-UniquelyIndonesia-