Indonesian Minister Urges Museums to Adopt Technology and Promote Inclusivity
Jakarta, Indonesianpost.com – Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, has emphasized the importance for Indonesian museums to embrace inclusivity and adopt digital technology in order to stay relevant in today’s fast-evolving landscape.
In a statement released on Saturday, Zon urged museums across the country to respond to current demands by enhancing inclusivity, integrating digital technology, and positioning themselves as vital public spaces for the younger generation. “Museums need to evolve and become a space that appeals to the younger generation by being inclusive and technologically advanced,” he stated.
As of now, Indonesia is home to approximately 469 museums, according to Zon. To drive these changes, the Ministry of Culture has established the Directorate of History and Museums, tasked with promoting standardized, professional, and accountable governance for museums. The directorate is also responsible for the revitalization and digitization of museum collections and infrastructure.
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The Ministry has further been encouraging stronger cooperation and innovation while ensuring that the Non-Physical Special Allocation Funds (DAK) are distributed more effectively.
Zon pointed to the success of the governance model implemented at the National Museum through the Museum and Cultural Heritage BLU (Indonesian Heritage Agency), which has made strides in enhancing education and conservation services. This includes the formation of a supervisory board, temporary exhibitions, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR).
The Ministry hopes that these advancements can be replicated in other museums across Indonesia, fostering a more competitive and vibrant museum ecosystem.
Despite progress, Zon acknowledged several challenges in museum management, including a shortage of professional staff, regional capacity disparities, limited funding, and low public engagement. He encouraged museum administrators to build networks both domestically, through the Indonesian Museum Association (AMI), and internationally with organizations like ICOM and INTERCOM.
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Zon also proposed programs such as curatorial residencies, collaborative research, and joint collection development at significant cultural sites like Sangiran, Borobudur, and Muaro Jambi as part of the strategy to further advance the museum sector.
In closing, the Minister emphasized the need for museums to be agile in the face of disruption. “Museums must adopt innovation, strengthen professionalism, and build collaborative networks,” he stated. “Indonesian museums must be more than just places of display; they must become houses of knowledge, fortresses of diversity, and agents of social transformation.” (BL/ANTARA)