Fatmawati's house, First Lady museum in Ratu Samban, Indonesia
Fatmawati's house is a wooden stilt structure built on a concrete foundation in Ratu Samban, Bengkulu, now open to the public as a museum. The interior preserves original furnishings, including a bedroom set and a dressing table, giving a clear picture of the family's daily living space.
The building was constructed in 1915 for Fatmawati's parents and stands close to the residence where President Soekarno lived during his exile from 1938 to 1942. The two buildings being so near each other is where the connection between Fatmawati and Indonesia's founding leader first developed.
The house displays personal belongings of Fatmawati, including photographs with President Soekarno and a collection of her clothing. These objects offer a direct look into the life of a woman widely regarded as the mother of the nation.
The museum is on Fatmawati Street in Bengkulu and is open every day without an entry fee. A visit is easy to combine with nearby sites, including the former residence of Soekarno, which is just a short walk away.
A 1941 Singer sewing machine on display in the museum is the one Fatmawati used to sew Indonesia's first national flag ahead of the 1945 independence proclamation. This makes the house one of the few places in the country where visitors can see an object directly tied to the creation of the flag.
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