Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto said that, unlike neighboring cities, Bogor was rich in historical heritage, hence there was a need to revitalize museums in Bogor.

“We, the people of Bogor, are very lucky. Our place is rich in a history that has created cultures, habits and folklore. The long history gives us characteristics that distinguish us from people from anywhere else. The history gives us a lot to learn,” he said in a discussion about museums on Monday.

He went on to explain that one of the first steps the city had taken was to draw up a preservation plan for the Batu Tulis complex.

Batu Tulis is a historical site holding a masterpiece epigraph from the Pajajaran kingdom. There is also an almost forgotten tomb of Raden Saleh Syarif Bustaman, the naturalist painter who became a landmark figure in the history of Indonesia’s fine arts in the 19^th century.

It stands side by side with a house reportedly belonging to Megawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of late president Sukarno and head of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

However, reflecting a lack of interest in historical heritage, the sites only see roughly 100 visitors a month, and many of those are students coming for school tasks.

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