Jakarta. The Indonesian Heritage Agency (IHA) has announced that the National Museum of Indonesia (MNI) will reopen to the public on Oct. 15, 2024. Located in Central Jakarta, the historic building has undergone extensive renovations and will welcome visitors after a year-long closure.

Ahead of the official reopening, IHA will host a grand ceremony on the evening of Oct. 11. This event will mark the completion of the museum's renovations, collection management updates, and modernization efforts.

The MNI restoration focuses on modernizing the museum's appearance and integrating digital features. A key component of the renovation is the digitization of the museum’s extensive collections.

“Visitors will be able to research and learn about the bronze collections housed at the National Museum. This is not just about data; it’s also an opportunity to engage collectors in Indonesia to enrich the prehistory narrative,” said Acting IHA Head, Ahmad Mahendra, at a press briefing on Friday.

The digitization is designed to enhance visitor interaction, providing access to detailed information and stories about the museum’s artifacts from various historical periods.

Alongside these digital advancements, the broader renovation aims to make the museum more relevant to modern needs, transforming it into both an educational hub and a recreational space.

Ahmad highlighted IHA’s commitment to improving the visitor experience through comprehensive changes. The revitalization process is expected to continue for at least three more years.

“We hope the National Museum of Indonesia will become an integral part of the cultural ecosystem and serve as a model for international museum management and collection utilization,” Ahmad added.

The museum was closed after a fire damaged part of the building in September 2023. Since then, the museum’s structure and collections have been inaccessible to the public.

Ahmad acknowledged the impact of the fire and said that details about the incident, along with some of the affected collections, will be made available to the public when the museum reopens.

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