At the northern end of Jakarta, at the area of the olden port of Sunda Kelapa, stands the Maritime Indonesia Museum. The museum, located at Jalan Pasar Ikan, Sunda Kelapa, at the northwest corner of Jakarta, is aimed to give the information to the visitors about the traditions of the ancestors on how they once went out to the sea for fishing and trading.
It is also intended at describing the importance of the sea for Indonesian people. Indonesian ancient sailors were famous for their courage going as far as Madagascar and far east of the center of the Pacific Ocean. “Tagaroa” was the ancient ocean god for the Indonesian people living in the northeastern part of Indonesia and the Pacific indigenous.
Historically, the Maritime Museum was part of the Dutch “Trading” Company (VOC) warehouse at the west bank of Ciliwung River built in 1652. The western warehouse building consists of four units, three of which are now used as the Maritime Museum. They stored lots of spices and crops in the warehouse and several kinds of precious metals in the open yard protected from the rain by a sort of wooden balcony attached to the front of the warehouse.
Historically, the Maritime Museum was part of the Dutch “Trading” Company (VOC) warehouse at the west bank of Ciliwung River built in 1652. The western warehouse building consists of four units, three of which are now used as the Maritime Museum. They stored lots of spices and crops in the warehouse and several kinds of precious metals in the open yard protected from the rain by a sort of wooden balcony attached to the front of the warehouse.
Closely related to the building and the maritime history, in the nearby area there are a port-master tower, defensive fort (Culemborg), canals, and walls surrounding the old city which built at the same period of that east warehouse (Oostzjidsche Parkhuizen) and wheat warehouse (Graan Parkhuizen)
After independence, the building was used by the electric and post and telecommunication state-owned companies as their warehouse. In 1976 this cultural heritage building was restored, and one year later was inaugurated as the Maritime Indonesia Museum. At present we can see the remaining walls once surrounded the city in front of the Maritime Museum, Zeeburg and Culemborg.
The museum exhibits various relics of old Dutch East India Company in the form of small replicas, photos, paintings and various models of traditional and original boats, navigation equipment and other objects associated with Indonesia maritime. It has various models of fishing vessels from any Indonesia’s corners as well as stone anchors from several places, the modern steam engine and also Phinisi sailing ship from Bugis (South Sulawesi), which has become one of the world-famous sailing ships. It also keeps collections related to Indonesian maritime and fishery from the entire archipelago.
In addition, the museum displays a collection of marine biota, the data type and distribution of fish in Indonesian waters and miscellaneous fishing equipment and shipping, the traditional boat-making technology and folklore customs of fishing communities of the entire Archipelago.
At the right corner of the road entrance of Jalan Pasar Ikan viewed from the main street, we can see the tower of the then port-master office. The visitors may climb to the top floor seeing the old port which certainly does not as busy as when the port-master did in the olden days. The tower now is vertically inclined about 2 degrees southward because the foundation has been weakened by the intrusion of seawater for about 300 years now.
It is worth to remark that precisely at the entrance of the tower and that of the road to the museum, there are some sidewalk food traders which seem negligence to keep the cleanliness that makes the area slump. The city mayor should pay more attention to this situation and handle more properly the environment of the area and make it more attractive for the tourists and put stress on the importance of the area.
At the right corner of the road entrance of Jalan Pasar Ikan viewed from the main street, we can see the tower of the then port-master office. The visitors may climb to the top floor seeing the old port which certainly does not as busy as when the port-master did in the olden days. The tower now is vertically inclined about 2 degrees southward because the foundation has been weakened by the intrusion of seawater for about 300 years now.
It is worth to remark that precisely at the entrance of the tower and that of the road to the museum, there are some sidewalk food traders which seem negligence to keep the cleanliness that makes the area slump. The city mayor should pay more attention to this situation and handle more properly the environment of the area and make it more attractive for the tourists and put stress on the importance of the area.
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