Museum Joang, Jakarta

Museum Joang ’45 (Battle ’45 Museum) is an establishment dedicated to Indonesia’s Independence gained in 1954 (hence the ’45 in the museum’s name). The museum is housed by a 1820 building which had first functioned as a luxury hotel (the Schomper Hotel). During Japanese occupation, the building was used for youth education meant to support the Japanese authority in Indonesia. Yet, the people teaching in the Asrama Menteng 31 (Menteng 31 Dormitory) directed the Indonesian youth towards a revolution which would bring them the so much wanted freedom from any international forces.

In honor of these people and in order to acknowledge the importance of the ’45 events in Indonesia’s history, the establishment was turned into a museum in 1974. Photographs portraying the events, weapons, flags and artillery used during the revolution and the documents related to the Independence topic are gathered under the Museum Joang ’45’s roof. The museum also hosts busts of the important people who supported the revolution. Even the official cars of the first Indonesian president (Soekarno) and vice-president (Hatta) have their place in the display.