MUSEUMS

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This fact is new to me : Netherlands has the highest museum density in the world, about one thousands. Yes, 1000 museums in a country with about 16, 5 million populations. I realized there are a lot of museums in this country but I didn't think that many and the most in the world. Wow.

I have to say that every year I was impressed with the number of people who joined the "Museum Nacht" (Museum Night) when museums open their doors in the evening. This is a very good idea and special because I am sure in Indonesia nobody thinks to go to a museum in the evening. It breaks a paradigm that museums are identical with sun and light.

Other thing is a "Museum kaart" (Museum card) membership which opens access to about 400 museums. It is relatively affordable, 35 euro per year. Considering ticket price individually someone has to pay for a museum entrance, this membership fee is absolutely low. And that is include magazines they send directly to your address.

I could go on and on with a lot of initiatives here to boost interests to museums which for my standart are excellent enough. Nevertheless I still read or hear complains from museum professionals in Netherlands how to get better and more, it means that actually museum world here could be better than already it is. Just imagine.

My mind wanders around Java or Sumatra from museum to museum and wish that all of them could have a better life than just above survival line. Museum which actively become part of community life (act as entertaining points, children education, economic wheels) and not merely exist due to cultural historical obligations because only a big nation could appreciate their history. It sounds cynical and I didn't mean to. It meant sincerely to share the long wonder why museums in Indonesia are not places to meet friends, to enjoy afternoons with kids or to generate decent income for young professionals?

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