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s of July 4, children can no longer enjoy the splendor of toys previously displayed in the country’s first toy museum, located in a room of the Yogyakarta Cultural Park (TBY) building. In an unprecedented move, the Yogyakarta Cultural Agency has asked non-profit group Dunia Damai Foundation — which translates to Peaceful World Foundation — as the manager of the museum to move from the building.

The incident has saddened 84-year-old Rudi Corens, the Belgian artist who founded the museum and serves as its curator. He feels the government did not appreciate his exertion and the efforts of toy donators from various countries and the museum’s volunteers, who he said had worked hard during the last nine years.

“There is no official letter explaining why we have to go. They just asked us to leave, as if we were dirty immigrants,” said Corens with a shaky voice.

Since the museum was established in 2008, children from schools around the country could learn about the philosophy of children’s toys and anything related to the world of learning. They carried out the activities in a 240-square-meter space under the stairs of the TBY building’s concert hall. That is why the museum was named the Yogyakarta Under-stair Toy and Education Museum.

Despite its very modest premises, the museum had a collection of around 18,000 toys from various countries. As recorded in the museum’s guest books, most children visiting the museum were happy and proposed various improvements, such as more cleanliness and better facilities.

“It’s amazing,” is the short comment of Nara, a child from Jakarta.

Following the eviction, planned visits of students from three schools in July had to be canceled. A pile of visit request documents from various schools kept at the museum’s office proves the Yogyakarta Under-stair Toy and Education Museum was a favorite education tourism destinations.

Corens, a toy collector, came up with the idea of building a toy museum as an alternative education center. His dream came true when some friends donated money and then-TBY head Dian Anggraeni allowed the Dunia Damai Foundation to use the space under the stairs of the concert hall.

After five years, the TBY management refused to renew the contract for the use of the room, which expired in 2013. For several years, the foundation had been striving to get benefactors who were willing to purchase the land to build a new museum. “I have received many promises, but in the end got nothing,” said Corens.

Without a contract renewal, the museum was still permitted to stay at the TBY until a notification letter suddenly received on July 4 informed its management about a planned renovation of the entire building, including the museum’s room, scheduled to take place from July 3 to Oct. 30.

The museum’s spokesperson Redy Kuswanto met TBY head Diah Tutuko Suryandaru to get an explanation about the fate of the museum. “He said our museum must go and could not return, because the place will be used for ticket booths,” said Redy. As a result, the museum had to stop its activities, because the Yogyakarta administration only told them to leave without offering help to find a new place.

Child nature school Sanggar Anak Alam (Salam) founder Sri Wahyaningsih said her school frequently sent its students to the museum to learn about toys from different countries and to carry out creative activities, such as story-telling. “If it is true, I am concerned, because then we have lost a playing ground.”

Yogyakarta Cultural Agency deputy head Singgih Raharjo blamed the problem on bad communication between the museum and TBY. He said the Dunia Damai Foundation did not meet requirements for establishing a museum. Citing examples, Singgih said, the foundation had neither land nor a building, as required by Government Regulation No. 66/2015 on museums.

“We want to help. In what form, we will talk about it later,” Singgih said.

Yogyakarta Museum Consultative Agency (Barahmus) head Suratman Woro Suprojo expressed his readiness to mediate in communication between the two parties to find a solution. “This museum is very important for early character building in children,” he said.