#KoleksiKita November Highlight: Jakarta Digital Collections at Museum Joang '45 & Museum Taman Prasasti

#KoleksiKita, through the Jakarta Digital Collections (JDC) initiative, has carried out the digitization and cataloging of more than 160 objects across two museums: 90 objects from Museum Joang ’45 and 73 objects from Museum Taman Prasasti throughout November.

Jakarta Digital Collections (JDC) is an initiative by SEAMS through #KoleksiKita, in collaboration with the Jakarta Provincial Government’s Cultural Office and 12 museums and galleries under its administration, aimed at opening public access to museum collections through digitization and cataloging.

This process aims to produce high-quality visual documentation and ensure each object has verified data before it becomes publicly accessible through the Jakarta Digital Collections platform in 2026.

Tracing the History of Indonesia’s Struggle Through Art Collections

Museum Joang ’45 is known for its art collections that document Indonesia’s struggle for independence, including paintings of Major General Moestopo, General Soedirman, Pasukan Gerilya Menuju Front Bekasi, Pataka Brigade 17, and various miniatures such as the Renville Ship and the REP 1 Presidential Car, used by President Soekarno at 1945.

Paintings such as the portrait of Major General Moestopo and Pasukan Gerilya Menuju Front Bekasi illustrate the vital role of artists during the revolutionary era in expressing the spirit of independence while capturing key moments in the nation’s history. Both paintings are among the 90 objects whose provenance was researched by SEAMS catalogers through #KoleksiKita together with the team from Museum Joang ’45.

Historical Insights from Museum Taman Prasasti

The collections housed at Museum Taman Prasasti consist largely of tombstones, statues, and burial urns, reflecting its original function as a colonial cemetery in the 18th century before being revitalized by the Jakarta Provincial Government as a memorial site.

Of the 73 objects cataloged and researched, one group of ‘tombstones’ holds a significant story about influential figures of the time. One example is the tombstone of Jonatan Michielsz, a Mardijker, or an Asian person who spoke Portuguese, freed from captivity and buried at Taman Prasasti Museum.

Digitizing 200+ Collections Across Two Museums

In addition to cataloging, SEAMS also conducted digitization of collections at Museum Joang ’45 and Museum Taman Prasasti, resulting in 242 digitally documented objects throughout November.

At Museum Joang ’45, digitization covered 169 objects, including photographs, paintings, letters, military rank insignia, bottles and mess tins, as well as various memorabilia such as cars, furniture, accessories, clothing, writing tools, and books.

Meanwhile, at Museum Taman Prasasti, digitization was carried out on objects such as coffins, tombstones, and hearses. These groups of objects include tombstones of VOC colonial figures, tombstones of people of Asian/Bengali descent, as well as coffins belonging to national heroes such as Bung Karno and Bung Hatta.

This program is made possible through the support of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which is committed to preserving historic buildings, archaeological and cultural sites, museum objects and collections, and traditional expressions in partner countries.

Stay tuned for the December edition of #KoleksiKita featuring Museum Tekstil and Museum Wayang.