Tuesday (01/08), FISIP UI held a public lecture with an alumnae of Anthropology who worked for Volkenkunde museum (Netherland), Silvy W Puntowaty. Having a summer vacation in Indonesia, Silvy freed her time to visit her former college and shared her knowledge about ethnographic collection of Indonesia in Volkenkunde Museum. This public lecture took a place in H building 102 room, FISIP UI.
Her elaboration began on the long history of Volkenkunde museum which located in Leiden. She said that this museum formerly was a hospital with capacity of 250 rooms which was built on 1873. After being closed on 1926 and abandoned for 11 years, the building was reconstructed into Volkenkunde (Het Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde). Starting from 1860, Indonesia ethnographic collection became a part of Volkenkunde museum, gathered by various way. Some of them are Candi Singasari sculptures, “Keris Jogja” from Dr. Groneman (Private doctor of Sultan Hamengku Buwono VI), “Badik” Teuku Umar, and Harta Cakra Negara. It was told that gamelan succeeded to be the main attraction for kids visitor in Netherland.
“In Netherland, the birthday kids mostly want to be celebrated by joining education tour program to take a look around museum. When they choose education tour program to Indonesia collection, they want to stay longer though the time is out. They still want to play with gamelan” Silvy explained delightly.
This public lecture was attended by anthropologist, curator and museum enthusiast. In the Q&A session, the attendants involved in active discussion related to comparison between the program of Indonesia museum and Netherland museum. Also the discourse about originality of the collection in the museum.
