The National Museum of Indonesia, located in Jakarta, is the largest and oldest museum in the country. It was established in 1778 and is also known as the Elephant Building, due to its prominent bronze elephant statue at the entrance.
The museum houses a vast collection of over 140,000 items from various fields, including archaeology, history, ethnography, and geography. Its collection ranges from prehistoric artifacts, ancient inscriptions, Hindu-Buddhist sculptures, and ceramics to colonial-era ethnographic collections, traditional textiles, and modern art.
The museum is divided into various sections, including the Treasure Room, the Ceramic Collection, the Numismatic Room, the Textile Room, and the Indonesian Heritage Room, which displays various traditional Indonesian cultures and customs. The museum also features a section dedicated to contemporary Indonesian art.
The National Museum Jakarta has undergone several renovations over the years, with the most recent being completed in 2007. The museum's architecture reflects a blend of Javanese, Balinese, and European styles, making it an important cultural landmark in Jakarta. The museum also hosts regular events, such as temporary exhibitions, lectures, and workshops.