History of National Museum of Indonesia (Museum Nasional Indonesia)

The founding of National Museum of Indonesia (Museum Nasional Indonesia) initiated by the founding of Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen association. The association was founded by the government of Holland colony on 24th April 1978. At that time, there was an intellectual revolution (the enlightment era) in Europe, wherein people start to develop science thinking. In 1752 in Haarlem, Nedherland, stand a science association (de Hollandshe Maatschappij der Wetenschappen) which urge Dutch people in Batavia (Indonesia) to found the kind of organization, which later on became Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (BG).

One of the BG founder is JCM Radermacher who granted his house and some collections of books and cultural objects which were very important. Grants from JCM Radermacher are the basis of the museum and library founding. The increase of collections had caused Holland government built Museum in 1862 at the location where the current National Museum of Indonesia (Museum Nasional Indonesia) stands and it was open officially in 1868. Later on the Museum became National Museum of Indonesia (Museum Nasional Indonesia). Read more...