Museum Tekstil, Jakarta Overview

Museum Tekstil, or Jakarta Textile Museum, is a 19th-century museum showcasing exquisite artistic skills that go into making Indonesian textiles through the usage of efficient technology ahead of its time. Visitors can make their own beautiful batik designs and learn how the fabric is made.

The Museum Tekstil is proof of Indonesia’s love for all things related to textile fabric and design. Almost all provinces of Indonesia have their own traditional fabric, pattern, color and design making. And hence, the Museum Tekstil or Jakarta Textile Museum is the perfect place to learn and understand the various textile skills that have been and continue to be, an integral part of the country for generations.

Built in 1976, the museum is in honor of Ms. Tien Soeharto, the former First Lady and houses more than 1000 collections. The museum also organizes workshops and holds exhibitions to promote the growth of its textile industry.

Things to Do

The main building of the museum is the largest and is where the textile exhibitions and collections are kept. On display are both traditional, as well as designer collections. Some of these changes periodically and so visitors can view different collections on different visits.

There is Galeri Batik or the Batik Gallery which displays beautiful Batik fabrics from ancient and modern times. The techniques of making the fabric are also elucidated here.

A Batik workshop is held at Pendopo Batik for Rp. 40000 for locals and Rp. 75000 for foreign visitors. Here one is trained in the methods of making the fabric, using natural colouring dyes and so on.

The Wastra Room has sets of the weaving tools from the different Indonesian provinces. Besides, learning about the various weaving methods one can also try operating the tools here.

The other collections in the museum include the different Indonesian textiles, such as ikat cloth, warp, different embroideries, applique techniques, beadwork, weft textiles, tapestry works and more.

There is also a garden within the premises of the museum with plants, such as Caesarweed, African Tulip tree and more. These plants and trees are used as natural dyes and raw materials for the design and the making of the textiles.

The museum also from time to time hosts events and exhibitions, such as the ASEAN Textile Exhibition and A Festival of Indonesian Textiles which are organized usually with seminars and cultural performances.