Analyzing the History of Bank Indonesia

Electronic displays, static panels, plasma televisions and dioramas tempt the visitors into staying longer inside the building.

The building has a robust appearance, with neo-classic style combined with modest domestic influence, the typical antique European architecture. The aristocratic impression seems so well attached when the day turns to night and the garden lamps outside the building starts to shine. The ambiance could not have been more obvious.

Constructed in the 17th century at Jalan Pintu Besar Utara no.3, Jakarta Barat, the building was originally functioned as a hospital (ziekenhuis), before it eventually serves as the De Javasche Bank building in 1828. Subsequent to its use as head office by Bank Indonesia during the proclamation period, from 15 December 1996 onward the building was officially claimed as the Museum of Bank Indonesia.

Upon commencement, the instigation of The Museum of Bank Indonesia was conducted in phases. The early phase of 15 December 2006 concluded soft opening and launch of public view. At that time the instigation was performed by the then Governor of Bank Indonesia, Burhanuddin Abdullah. Meanwhile, the second phase of instigation which was the grand opening was performed by the President of Republic of Indonesia, RI Susilo Bambang Yudyono on 21 July 2009.

Free of charge, that might be the main key to catch anyone’s attention into visiting this museum. The conditions are just to obtain a ticket and to fill in the visitor’s list. As for another key to attract, evidently is related to the collected items plus the facilities and infrastructure available in the museum. Bank Indonesia gives a great deal of attention in managing the museum to, aside from making it attractive in appearance, also to be able to provide sufficient educational aspect for the visitors.

“For matters concerning the museum, we have a team at hand. The team stands in equal to the other directorates in BI. It goes to show our seriousness in maintaining this museum,” said Oneng Ane, one of the employees at the Museum of Bank Indonesia.

Historical information supported by modern technology in its delivery, is what seems to be offered by the Museum of Bank Indonesia. In your initial step in the museum area, the atmosphere of the building will carry your imagination to the past. Near the ticket collection area, rows of partitioned small chambers where the old-times employees serve their customer are located.

The material of those partitioned small chambers is wood, as so are all the available customer seats, which brings up the unique and classis sense. Curious? Just enter the chamber and sit in one of the customer’s seats, and let your imagination visualize the working activities of historic banking atmosphere. Those were the times when employees of the De Javasche served their customers.

Advancing from the ticket collection, not far ahead you will find the main entrance to the building area. The rules, such as the disallowance of food and drinks in the building, are applied to quite strictly in this museum.

Upon entering the building area, a giant 3D projection screen will immediately enrich your imagination of the old-times. Stand close to it and try to catch the seemingly falling money visualized on the screen. If you succeed, then instantly, information on what currency you caught will appear. The scene is made possible by the sufficient sophisticated optical gadgets in the museum.

In delivering their information, the Museum of Bank Indonesia utilizes modern technology and multimedia, such as electronic displays, static panels, plasma televisions and dioramas, which give a certain attraction for the visitors. Aside from that, the available  air-conditioning keeps the cool, making the visitors feel pleased in staying longer in the building.

Walking further in, you will enter the cinema area where the museum’s movie collection is usually played. Pass the cinema room you will enter an area themed the Pre-Bank Indonesia History. The said room is divided into eight areas. Each of them provides information around important moments before the idea of establishing Bank Indonesia as central bank materialized.

Such as in section one area that is called the History of the National Development of Central Bank. In this section, the room informs on how Indonesian national trade was already an international trade central even before foreign countries entered the country. Meanwhile, in Europe, mercantilism has evolved into industrial revolution, thus causing the escalation of Europe’s trading activities.

It was during that time of trading escalation when simple banking organization surfaces, such as the van Leening Bank in the Netherlands. This banking system was then brought in by the Western countries that also occupied the nation. The OC in Java in 1746 then established De Bank van Leening which later on became De Bank Courant en Bank van Leening in 1752.

Going on room to room, if you take prudent and serious notice towards the available information, you will be enlightened not only by the information around the establishment of national central bank only, but on other information concerning significant moments in the banking world of this country.

Besides the room of complete information about central bank development and the establishment history of De Javasche Bank in the nation, the Museum of Bank Indonesia also has a room where various currencies are in
collection.

In this room various currencies in collection are neatly stored and displayed. Not only the currencies that has been printed and issued by Bank Indonesia, but various currencies that was in the prehistoric age of the nation was also in collection, i.e. the Majapahit Gobog Money, Real Batu Money that was valid during the Sumenep Kingdom era, Jambi Kingdom Money and so on.

Bank Indonesia library collection currently consists of more than 45.000 book titles, more than 400 periodic published titles and 2 online journals (JSTOR,ProQuest, Emerald and Spingerlink), and also more than 2500 digital collection in forms of CD/VCD.

This Periodic Collection concludes Bank Indonesia publication, Government organization and international finance organization. There is also a temporary exhibition room in the Museum of Bank Indonesia.

A space where various exhibitions, such as the previously held Benteng exhibition, takes place. Until today, the Museum of Bank Indonesia keeps on perfecting the available facilities and infrastructure, all the way to their collections. It is without a question that this museum has given a new scene to the world of museums in Indonesia.