Museum Bahari (Maritime Museum)
Museum Bahari
A set of 17th-century warehouses built by the Dutch East India Company beside the old Sunda Kelapa harbor, displaying traditional boats from across Indonesia and the history of maritime trade.
Museum Bahari occupies a group of former Dutch East India Company (VOC) warehouses beside the old Sunda Kelapa port. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, they once stored spices, coffee and tea. The museum displays traditional wooden boats and models from Indonesia's islands, navigation instruments, marine life and the history of the port of Batavia. The building's massive timber beams and thick walls are highlights in themselves. A fire struck the museum in 2018, and it has since reopened after restoration. The Menara Syahbandar watchtower across the way can be visited as well. The museum is generally open Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Mondays, and admission is very cheap. It is best visited on the same day as the old harbor and Kota Tua old town. Take a Grab there, but the surrounding streets are rather chaotic, so keep an eye on your belongings.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 08:00–16:00; closed Mondays (check official notices)
Nearby sights
- Sunda Kelapa Harbour
- Kota Tua (Old Batavia)
- Bank Indonesia Museum
- Glodok Chinatown & Jin De Yuan Temple
- Ancol Dreamland
- Pasar Baru
- Istiqlal Mosque
- Jakarta Cathedral