BANTUL – Efforts to boost revenue in the tourism sector have gained serious attention from Commission C of the Central Java Provincial DPRD. The History of Java Museum in Bantul Regency, DIY, became the destination for the council’s study visit on Friday.
During this occasion, the delegation had the opportunity to tour the museum and observe the well-arranged collections. The Vice Chairman of Commission C, Sriyanto Saputro, stated that the purpose of this work visit was to gain more references on museum management. He hopes the information gathered can be useful in invigorating museum tourism in Central Java, thus contributing to increased revenue for the regional budget (APBD).
According to the Gerindra Party politician, Central Java actually has great potential, on par with Yogyakarta, to be developed, especially in the museum sector. However, it seems to be hindered by a lack of people who care about the sustainability of museums. Therefore, dynamic efforts are needed.
“With good management, museums in Central Java will be able to attract tourists and increase local revenue (PAD). Especially with the completion of the draft regional regulation on the change of PT PRPP’s status to Perseroda, which is expected to stimulate development in this sector,” he concluded.
The Head of the History of Java Museum, Ki Sutikno, explained that the museum has a collection of 3,000 historical artifacts and is managed by the private entity, the D’Topeng Kingdom Foundation. It is related by blood to the Angkut Museum in Malang, Jatim Park 1 and 2, as well as the Majapahit Museum in Bali. There are plans to open another museum, the Museum of Peace, in Jombang, East Java.
“On December 5th, the History of Java Museum celebrated its second anniversary. In its early days of operation, we had to face significant challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused a drastic decline in visitor numbers and forced us to stop operations. Before the pandemic, the museum could attract up to five thousand visitors in a month,” he said.
In the early days, he further explained, the History of Java Museum made an approach to related departments in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, such as the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Education. Although the museum is privately managed, the local government still provides attention and support.
For instance, the Department of Education requires every student to learn outside the classroom by visiting museums in Yogyakarta, including the History of Java Museum. This initiative not only positively impacts the students’ learning experience in understanding the nation’s culture but also helps sustain the museum.
Now, with the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts to remain operational have been made by reducing operational costs. About 60 percent of the staff are students or trainees from internship programs. This, according to him, has significantly helped reduce expenses.
In addition, innovations are continuously being introduced to attract visitors. One of them is the implementation of Augmented Reality. Through this technology, visitors can take photos with three-dimensional images on several museum collections.
Also present at the event were the Chairman of the Museum Consultation Body (Barahmus) DIY, Ki Bambang Widodo, and the President Director of PT PRPP, Titah Listyorini.