National Awakening Museum, Historical museum in Senen, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The National Awakening Museum occupies a colonial building with exhibitions positioned around courtyards, where medical instruments, weapons, paintings, and historical objects are displayed. The rooms branch out from these central spaces, each presenting different aspects of Indonesia's past.
The building was constructed from 1899 to 1901 and first functioned as STOVIA, a medical school for local students under colonial rule. During World War II, Japanese forces repurposed it as a detention facility for Dutch prisoners of war.
The museum documents Indonesia's struggle for independence and the awakening of national consciousness among its people. Visitors walk through spaces that show how this movement shaped the nation and continues to matter today.
The museum is easy to reach on foot and sits in a quieter part of Jakarta. Wear comfortable shoes since the exhibition spreads across multiple courtyards and rooms that you'll explore on foot.
The building originally functioned as a residential college where students lived on-site, not simply attending classes there. This arrangement created an intense academic community that was unusual for the colonial era.
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