Parenting 101: Learning about our country’s history is a lot more fun in person.

Written by Florentia Chelsea Lesmana & Valencia Anabelle Lontaan

Do you remember when your child was first taught about Indonesia’s history? Of course, it must have begun at their school with a history textbook and their teacher telling them about Indonesia’s Independence Day. However, those lessons are often so boring that your active child would immediately zone out and stop paying attention. So then you decided to take your child to Kota Tua, especially its museums, and it is a far better place to introduce your child to Indonesia’s history. Museum Kota Tua isn’t stories plastered in books children are too lazy to read, it’s actual stories plastered in historical pieces and art. It is an engaging space where historical events are materialised through actual artefacts, giving kids something to grasp rather than words on paper. For those reasons, parents find Kota Tua a great place to introduce their children to Indonesia’s history.

Kota Tua

Kota Tua (Old Batavia) is the heart of Jakarta’s history, once the central area during the Dutch Colonial Era. As of today, it stands as a place with buildings, museums, and public spaces that show the many layers of history Jakarta once faced. Jakarta/Old Batavia was previously known as Jayakarta, founded in 1526 by Fatahillah of Demak after Fatahillah defeated the Hindu Pajajaran kingdom. During the VOC era, in 1619, Jayakarta was destroyed, and Batavia was built with heavy European inspiration. As VOC began to expand, Batavia became the headquarters in Asia, earning nicknames such as “Queen of the East” and “Pearl of Asia”. Batavia was renamed Jakarta during Japan’s occupation of Indonesia in 1942, and in 1972, Kota Tua was designated a heritage site to preserve its colonial architecture.

We recently texted a parent who had, in fact, taken their child to Old Batavia to both enrich their child’s knowledge of Indonesian history and have some fun. Her initials are R, as she asked to remain anonymous. R first took her child when they were in 6th grade, when history classes started to get a little more serious. She believed it would be a fun family bonding experience to visit one of Indonesia’s greatest historical sites and learn from it, too. She brought her family to the Wayang museum, which displayed artefacts from the past centred on storytelling and puppetry, and then to another museum close to the Bank of Indonesia.

Museum of Indonesian History/Museum Fatilah

Old Batavia is what people may call an “open classroom”, a place where parents can bring their children to learn about history, culture, and creativity by experiencing colonial architecture, museums, and interactive activities firsthand, rather than just learning through reading. Exploring one of Jakarta’s richest historical sites is a memorable way for a child to learn that stays with them. The Museum Sejarah Indonesia allows children to imagine what the world was like in the past by showcasing maps, models, and furniture from Batavia’s VOC era, thereby engaging their creativity. As mentioned previously, Museum Wayang introduces Indonesian puppetry traditions, bringing children closer to Indonesian folklore by allowing them to experience it firsthand. At the same time, Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik offers hands-on exhibits to teach art and design and help cultivate children’s appreciation for the arts. Old Batavia fosters many qualities in children that parents want their kids to have.

Wayang Museum

With all the kinds of museums available, filled with Indonesia’s history, children can foster a strong sense of national identity by learning about Jakarta’s prehistory through the Dutch Colonial era. Understanding colonial history helps children think critically about how everything is shaped now and what it might look like going forward. The knowledge used can help children reflect on our independence, what people back then had to endure to gain it, and how our government is structured. The workshops that expose kids to Indonesia’s puppetry teach artistry and the cultural tradition behind it, allowing children to enhance their creativity. The hands-on activities with ceramics and sculpture nurture children’s artistic expression and raise their appreciation for Indonesian craftsmanship, helping preserve traditional Indonesian arts.

KRL station where you can head to Kota Tua from

R mentioned that the transportation to Old Batavia wasn’t that complicated, as it was easy to trek from the train station. However, plans for revitalization are currently still in place. This includes adding pedestrian paths, cleaning up the river, and repairing roads. There are even plans to link Old Batavia to the MRT, which should make it even easier and much more accessible to visit the heritage site. Even with ongoing construction, Old Batavia remains as lively as ever, with its street performances and the crowds the weekend brings. The museums (Museum Sejarah Jakarta, Museum Wayang, Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik) draw parents and children alike; the allure to be able to glimpse what they weren’t able to witness, the past of the present, becomes a wonder that can never be truly forgotten in our minds. Then, when everyone is all tuckered out, there’s always the Cafe Batavia, where you can taste the food they also eat.

R considered the trip to Old Batavia a major success, as both her children enjoyed it and learned something from it. Old Batavia is a cultural site that has existed for years and years, bringing together pieces of history in one place for us to learn about and appreciate our country’s culture. R strongly recommends that other parents make time to take their children to Old Batavia, check out the museums, and learn about the struggles of Indonesian heroes and the artefacts that remain from them as well.

So, next time your child’s eyes glaze over during history class, remember that learning can be exciting and engaging. A trip to Kota Tua might just be the adventure you need to bring Indonesia’s history to life for your family!