SEAMS Hosts Public Consultation Ahead of the Launch of Koleksi Jakarta

Ahead of the launch of the Koleksi Jakarta Platform on June 30, 2026, Southeast Asia Museum Services (SEAMS) organized two online discussion forums with the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture and members of the public as part of a public consultation process to gather feedback from museums and prospective platform users.

Koleksi Jakarta is a digital platform developed through Koleksi Kita, a collaborative initiative between SEAMS and the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture that has been running since 2024 to support the standardization and cataloging of collections across 11 museums managed by the Jakarta Provincial Government. The platform will integrate thousands of museum collection records and connect with the official website of the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture, allowing the public to access museum collection information through a single digital gateway.

The public consultation was conducted to ensure that the two systems currently being developed, the Collection Management System (CMS) for museums and the public-facing Koleksi Jakarta Platform, meet user needs, remain relevant, are easy to use, and provide an inclusive user experience prior to their official launch.

The discussion forums involved more than 70 participants, including representatives from the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture, staff from the 11 museums managed by the Jakarta Provincial Government, and members of the public. During the sessions, participants were introduced to and given the opportunity to test both the Collection Management System and the Koleksi Jakarta Platform, while also providing feedback on features, user flows, accessibility, and overall user experience.

This public consultation represents an important stage in the development of Koleksi Jakarta. In addition to ensuring that the system supports museum collection management needs, the activity also aims to ensure that the platform can be accessed by a diverse range of users, including researchers, educators, students, tourists, and people with disabilities.

One of the discussion sessions focused on introducing and testing the Collection Management System (CMS), which museums will use to manage collection data digitally. During the session, museum representatives and officials from the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture explored various system features and shared feedback regarding collection management requirements, workflows, and long-term implementation.

“We want to ensure that this system is relevant to the needs of museums and the Department of Culture. Therefore, we need feedback on workflows as well as the features that users consider important,” said Dyah Padam Mitayani, SEAMS Education and Design Specialist, before the CMS demonstration session.

According to Mitayani, the Collection Management System is not intended to replace existing working procedures, but rather to support and simplify collection management through a more integrated and well-documented system.

Museum representatives also shared several considerations regarding the long-term implementation of the CMS. One of the key issues raised was the importance of ensuring the sustainability of the system, including maintenance, user training, and integration with systems already in use within the Jakarta Provincial Government.

Wandi, a representative from Museum Wayang, expressed hope that the Collection Management System would not only be user-friendly but also supported by training materials presented in accessible language so that museum staff could operate it independently.

“We hope that future training sessions will be delivered in language that is easy to understand. This will help museum staff manage the system with greater confidence when it is implemented long-term and integrated with existing systems within the Jakarta Provincial Government,” said Wandi.

The consultation also involved members of the public as prospective users of the Koleksi Jakarta Platform. Participants were invited to test the platform prototype and explore its various features, including collection search tools, curated themes, and discovery features designed to help the public engage with Jakarta’s museum collections more easily.

“We hope that everyone will be able to access and learn about museum collections through their mobile phones or laptops from anywhere,” said Dimas Aditya, SEAMS Software Developer, while opening the platform testing session.

Dimas also introduced the platform’s key features, including the Collections, Themes, and Explore sections, as well as information about Koleksi Kita as the initiative behind the platform.

“We hope this platform can become an online learning space for people who wish to learn more about museum collections across Jakarta,” he said.

Participants showed strong enthusiasm by offering a wide range of suggestions during the discussions. Many highlighted the importance of intuitive navigation, comprehensive collection information, accessibility features for people with disabilities, and the platform’s potential as an educational resource and trip-planning tool for museum visitors.

One participant suggested that museum information pages include public transportation guidance from key locations across Jakarta, ticket pricing information, and links to online ticket purchasing services.
“It would be very helpful if museum information pages included public transportation directions from several well-known locations. It would also be beneficial to provide ticket prices or links to online ticket purchasing services,” said Farel, a participant in the public consultation session.

Participants also envisioned Koleksi Jakarta as a useful resource for both residents and tourists planning future museum visits. According to them, the platform would not only benefit people who have already visited museums but also those considering a visit.

“I can imagine people planning a trip to Jakarta exploring museum collections through this website beforehand. I think that’s very interesting.”

“I really like the design of this website prototype. I believe it will be very useful for people planning museum visits, as they can learn about museums and their collections before visiting in person,” added another participant, Marsya.

The feedback gathered from both the public and museum professionals will be used to refine the Collection Management System and the Koleksi Jakarta Platform ahead of their official launch at the end of June. The results of the public consultation will also serve as evaluation material for the CMS training session scheduled for July 2, 2026, at the Textile Museum.

“We hope this consultation can serve as a bridge between the needs of museum collection management and public access. In this way, Koleksi Jakarta can become a platform that benefits both museums and the wider public,” concluded Mitayani.

Koleksi Kita is a collaborative initiative between SEAMS and the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture that aims to strengthen museum collection management through data standardization, digitization, and expanded public access to Jakarta’s cultural heritage.

This activity is supported by 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 various forms of traditional cultural expression in partner countries around the world.