Museums showcase the history of a country and a culture. It’s easy to look at them simply as a rather more extravagant version of a filing cabinet that keeps records straight. But this isn’t all that a museum is. Museums keep cultures alive even after people who followed that culture no longer exist. They are a tribute to the artistic sensibilities of people throughout time, to remind us where we came from. When we see a contemporary piece of art – a sculpture, a painting, a piece of music – museums help us gain knowledge about everything that had happened before, to make that piece of art the truth as we know it today.

When you step into Fatahillah Square, you will be reminded of a heritage and history so rich that simply passing it by will not be an option. There are three museums in Fatahillah Square, on Jalan Pintu Besar Utara 27, each of which pays tribute to the glorious tradition of a different form of art.

The first is the Wayang museum. It’s on the west of the square and gives a glimpse into a rich tradition of Indonesia, coaxing visitors to look further and deeper. Wayangs are Indonesian puppets that were part of the times of story telling. This was one of the first forms of performing arts. Wayang Kulit – leather and wooden puppets used in this form of theater – displayed at the Wayang museum will take visitors back to a time when these puppets were part of a way of life. short performances of Wayang Kulit can be seen every Sunday morning, to help make this piece of history come alive. Jakarta Historical Museum is the second museum that can be found in Fatahillah Square. This houses a collection of a more familiar art – 18th century furniture collections and beautiful and skillfully created portraits. Various pieces in this collection come from former governors of Jakarta.

The third museum in Fatahillah Square is the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics. As the name suggests, it is an eclectic and precious collection of over 400 lovely pieces, including sculptures, wood totems, sketches, graphics and painting batik. The Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics has an interesting history in itself. It was built almost a century and a half ago in 1870, became the Fine Arts Gallery Building in 1976, and finally the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics.

Jakarta has many aspects for tourists to explore, apart from the museums at Fatahillah Square. Furthermore the city offers several of the best accommodation facilities, with Jakarta serviced apartments fulfilling the comfort and convenience needs of travelers. These serviced residences provide an ideal setting to relax in after an exciting tour in the cultural city of Jakarta.