History of Shadow Puppet Museum (Museum Wayang) Building

Shadow Puppet Museum (Museum Wayang) Building was constructed at a former old church location, which built by VOC in 1640 with a name of “de oude Hollandsche Kerk”. The church was functioned as a house of worship for Dutch civil and military in Indonesia until 1732. In 1733 the church was renovated and the name was changed to be “de nieuwe Hollandsche Kerk”.

The building existed until 1808, until an earthquake broke it making the church could not be occupied anymore. On the location where the church previously stood, a building then constructed, it's the one stands there currently, which initially functioned as a warehouse belonged to Geo Wehry & Co.

Initially in 1912, the front side of Shadow Puppet Museum (Museum Wayang) was constructed with a Neo Renaissance style, but then in 1938 the whole building was renovated and adjusted to be like Dutch buildings in the colonization time. The open garden of which located at Shadow Puppet Museum (Museum Wayang) the former yard of the Holland church was estimated as the funeral of General Governor Jan Peiterszoon Coen. Read more...