Museum Wayang (The Wayang Museum)

Wayang is one of cultural heritage in Indonesia. Actually it is a generic term for traditional theater performance in Indonesia with Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) as the most renowned kind of Indonesian Wayang. Other kind of Wayang including Wayang Wong, Wayang Golek, Wayang Topeng, and many more. UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.

I am no stranger to Wayang show, albeit never experience it live. There are several famous Wayang show in Bali such as Wayang Cenk Blonk. Last month I have the opportunity to visit Museum Wayang that located near Museum Fatahillah in Kota Tua, Jakarta. The museum has a collection of various kinds of Wayang from several regions in Indonesia, and also from foreign countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, China, India and France! Here are some pictures that I took in the museum:

The front of Museum Wayang

The Wayang Museum occupies the site of a church which was built in 1640 under the name of the Old Dutch Church

 

Wayang from Cambodia

Wayang from other country

Wayang from China

Wayang from India

Wayang from Vietnam

Wayang from Russia

Wayang from other country

Gatot Kaca

Wayang show usually accompanied by Gamelan

Honestly, albeit the old building, The Wayang Museum is quite nice. But several mistakes in the information and explanation in English that was put for every Wayang in this museum make me questions the competency of its staff and certainly will not give good impression to the tourist. Geez. I hope they will enhance the museum appeal so that it will attract more visitors.