Museum of Central Java Ranggawarsita
Impressive collection in shameful conditions
Published/Last edited or updated: 2nd June, 2017
More on Semarang
The Museum of Central Java Ranggawarsita is the province’s flagship cultural and ethnographic museum with an impressive collection of cultural treasures, housed unfortunately in a building that is literally falling in upon them.
Travelfish says:
We were shocked and saddened to see large sections of the ceiling crashed though display cases in some sections and dirt, grime and cobwebs everywhere as well as broken light fittings that made it impossible to view many exhibitions, an appalling state of affairs that the Department of Eduction and Culture, who administer the museum should be ashamed of.
Despite the shameful conditions, the artefacts certainly hold interest and make it worth a visit, at least to fill a rainy day. The museum is named for Raden Ngabehi Ranggawarsita (1802–1873), a Javanese poet of the Surakarta Sultanate (Solo), and is located on a roundabout as you head into the city from the airport in a Javanese joglo-style building. The exhibitions are displayed in four interconnected double-storey buildings around a central courtyard that houses a collection of ancient stone sculptures. Most information is in Indonesian, but some exhibits are also labelled in English.
Of interest is the extensive collection of puppets including some fascinating and rare wayang suket, shadow puppet made from woven grass—take a torch to see them properly, as most of the lights are missing in this gallery. Some beautiful calligraphy includes engraved copper plates, hand inscribed lontar books and books printed in Javanese script as well as old Korans in Arabic.
Fine batiks are possibly in the worst condition with glass cabinets broken in one section and the cloth rotting from exposure to the elements, but the craftsmanship is exquisite. Other exhibitions include some patriotic dioramas documenting the Indonesian battle for independence, and easily missed, near the exit a room showcasing some splendid gold ornaments from the eight to the tenth century.
The museum is about three kilometres west of Tugu Muda. The trans Semarang bus corridor four with stops along Jalan Permuda and Jalan Imam Bonjol passes nearby (3,500 rupiah). In contrast, visit Semarang’s well maintained Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery is a renovated historic building in the heart of Kota Lama.
Contact details for Museum of Central Java Ranggawarsita
Address: 1 Jalan Abdulrahman Saleh, Semarang
T: (0247) 602 389;
Coordinates (for GPS): 110º23'2.3" E, 6º59'7.39" S
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Admission: 4,000 rupiah
Reviewed by
Sally Arnold
Sally spent twelve years leading tourists around Indonesia and Malaysia where she collected a lot of stuff. She once carried a 40kg rug overland across Java. Her house has been described as a cross between a museum and a library. Fuelled by coffee, she can often be found riding her bike or petting stray cats. Sally believes travel is the key to world peace.
