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Semarang to host blue whale museum
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Gedong Songo Temple in Semarang, Central Java. (Shutterstock/File)
A world-class blue whale museum is slated to open on Jl. Gajahmada in Semarang, Central Java.
A 33-meter-long whale skeleton, which is currently undergoing a cleaning that can take up to three months, is said to be the highlight of the place.
Publicly listed herbal medicine producer PT Sido Muncul director Sofyan Hidayat, who is also a collector, told kompas.com the museum would become one of Semarang's primary tourist attractions.
(Read also: Semarang to rejuvenate Little Netherlands old town)
"The entire world will come to Semarang; this museum is the first in the world to display a 33-meter-long whale," said Sofyan in Semarang on Tuesday.
The skeleton of the rare species was reportedly found on Timor Island in West Nusa Tenggara. "Blue whales used to live in the North Pole under ice in water 2,000 meters deep," he said. "This is real skeleton; I found the whale stranded and dead on Timor [Island]."
The museum will also feature original heritage collections from the Majapahit and Singapore kingdoms, with jewelry worn by the kings to precious artifacts and 2,000 keris (traditional dagger) that have the same length as a sword. "The keris collection from Majapahit are long and made from meteor stone; different from those of the Mataram era that are usually short," said Sofyan. (kes)
