(antarajatim
Malang Tempo Doeloe Museum, which was established just three years ago, has been declared the best privately owned museum in Indonesia.
The recognition was announced by the Culture and Education Ministry's director general for culture, Kacung Marijan, during an awards ceremony for cultural heritage and museum preservers in Jakarta on Friday.
Situated on Jl. Gajah Mada in Malang, East Java, the museum invites visitors to trace the history of the city.
In the past two years, the museum has become a popular destination for students and foreign tourists.
Unlike most dimly lit 'don't touch' museums, particularly those run by governments, visiting this museum is a hands-on affair. Visitors can touch prehistoric stone tools and make terracotta figures like those from the Majapahit era.
Students can don the clothes of Javanese nobility, take happy snaps, paint masks and act out puppet shows. Visitors can look in awe at a life-size model of president Sukarno at the 1947 Central National Committee of Indonesia (KNIP) Congress in Malang.
'Museums in Indonesia are usually just storage places, warehouses,' said owner Dwi Cahyono.
In addition to the best museum award, Dwi has also been recognized as the best cultural heritage preserver in the country alongside four other public figures.
Malang itself received an award as a museum-preserving city. Besides Malang Tempo Doeloe Museum, Malang is also home to the Brawijaya Army Museum, Mpu Purwa Historical Museum and Education Museum. (kes) (++++)
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