Multatuli Museum, History museum in Rangkasbitung, Indonesia
The Multatuli Museum is a history museum housed in a restored 1923 colonial administrative building that displays artifacts, documents, and personal belongings of Dutch author Eduard Douwes Dekker. The exhibition spaces show the connection between the author's life and his most famous work, Max Havelaar.
The building functioned as the office of a Wedana, a colonial-era administrator, before being converted into a cultural institution. It opened to the public as a museum in February 2018, preserving the memory of an important literary figure.
The museum displays sculptures by Dolorosa Sinaga depicting characters from the novel Max Havelaar, offering an Indonesian perspective on Dutch colonial literature. The exhibition brings together how both cultures understand this important literary work.
The museum sits on Jalan Alun-alun Timur No. 8, on the east side of Rangkasbitung Square, next to the Saidjah Adinda Library, on a 1,934 m² plot. It is run by Lebak Regency's Culture and Tourism Office. Allow time for the seven rooms and four themes, which use audio and video screens.
The museum's main collection piece is a French-language edition of Max Havelaar printed in 1868. It also holds tiles from Multatuli's former home, a lithograph of the author, and a 20th-century map of Rangkasbitung. A short video in the fourth room features an interview with writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer.
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