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View all search resultsHome at last: ‘Java Man’ fossils anchor new National Museum exhibit
The return of the Dubois Collection from the Netherlands places Indonesia at the heart of human evolution studies, opening new ground for research and public education.
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Unearthing origins: An ape-like skullcap discovered by Dutch geologist Eugène Dubois at Trinil in 1891 is displayed on Dec. 17, 2025, at the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta. The fossil is part of the permanent Early History exhibition introducing early human discoveries in Indonesia. (Indonesian Heritage Agency/-)
A
skullcap, molar and femur believed to be remains of Homo erectus, or “Java Man,” unearthed by Dutch geologist Eugene Dubois in Java in the 19th century, are on display at the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta, introducing the public to one of the most influential discoveries in human evolution studies.
After the first phase of more than 28,000 fossils from the Dubois Collection arrived from the Netherlands last October, the Culture Ministry launched a permanent exhibition, titled Early History, on Dec. 17, 2025.
Presented in chronological order and accompanied by contextual explanations as well as replicas of ancient life, the exhibition highlights Indonesia’s role as a key region in the study of early human origins and migration.
Drawing on estimates that Homo erectus lived between 1.9 million and 150,000 years ago, the exhibition challenges prevailing evolutionary theories suggesting that ancient human civilization emerged only in Africa and Europe.
Culture Minister Fadli Zon said more than 50 percent of the world’s Homo erectus fossil discoveries originate from Indonesia, including finds from Sangiran, Ngandong, Semedo, Bumiayu in Central Java, Trinil in East Java and Rancah in West Java.
“We have contributed one of the richest records of early human discoveries,” Fadli said during the exhibition opening. “[The discoveries] establish Nusantara as a cornerstone of paleoanthropology and a vital reference in the narrative of human evolution.”
The exhibition expands the National Museum’s holdings, which already include more than 195,000 cultural heritage items.
