Me and The Museum

   Have you ever been to a museum? The answers are certainly diverse. Yes and No. When asked whether the museum is fun, again the answers are split between yes and no. However, for high school students like me and my friends seem to prefer to walk in the mall than a museum visit. So why did I write this essay? Of course once again because the task that was given by my extremely kind history teacher  to visit museums and record my experiences there. Not that I was sincere with this task, even this task provides additional insight and knowledge to me. But, honestly, this task and other tasks of history make my head dizzy though I know that all the tasks it is useful.
Long story short, after receiving the task (Which was a mighty inconvenience) me and my friends are planning to visit the old town with Transjakarta climbing or passing lane busway. The plan, we will visit one of the museums located in the old town.We do not yet know where exactly the museum, so we regard it as a leisurely stroll. We actually intend to Ragusa, and ice cream shop and the Grand Indonesia. In short, absolutely no intention.

On the day Saturday, May 21 in 2011, I and my friends get together advance our beloved high school, Labschool Kebayoran, then after all assembled, we went to the nearest bus stop from our beloved high school, that is stop the Al-Azhar. Once there, we immediately bought tickets and waited for the bus Transjakarta.Whether because that day is a Saturday or we're lucky, Transjakarta bus came only a few minutes after we bought the tickets. Huh, this is a good sign. The weather was quite sunny, no clouds at all . Looks like our trip will go smoothly.Well, actually not very well, anyway.

In fact, somewhat haltingly because some things (ugh).Transjakarta bus was running at medium speed, passing many stops before reaching the old town. Several times my friends and I glanced out the window, fearing that we took  the wrong bus and  successfully arrived in Ragunan instead of Ragusa. Fortunately, our fears did not materialize and we arrived safely in the Old City.

Arriving in the Old City, we glanced around searching for  museums which attract about to visit. First, we entered the museum of Bank Indonesia. It was fun, especially with the fact that the museum admission price is Rp. 0, - or FREE.Really fun. Not to mention the room in the museum is equipped with air conditioning. It was different than most Indonesian museums. 
Although the Museum of Bank Indonesia was very pleasant, but the museum does not have a clear museum collections. We finally left the museum and move toward another museum. At first we intend to museums Fatahillah, but because we were already bored with Fatahillah that never changes, we visited a museum called the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics.

Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum is located at No 2 Jalan Pos Kota, West Jakarta municipality, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Museum is located exactly opposite the Jakarta History Museum is displaying a local ceramics from various regions in the country, from the era KerajaanMajapahit the 14th century, and from various countries around the world.Building that was built on January 12, 1870 was originally used by the Government of the Netherlands East Indies to the Office of the Council of Justice at Batavia Castle (Raad van Justitie Ordinary Binnen Het Kasteel Batavia). When the Japanese occupation and the struggle for independence around the year 1944, where it is utilized by the Colonial army and military barracks next to the TNI.

On January 10, 1972, the building with eight large pillars at the front of the building made it a historic and cultural heritage is protected. Years 1973-1976, the building was used for the Office of the Mayor of West Jakarta and only after it was inaugurated by President (then) Suharto Jakarta Arts Institute.

In 1990 the building was finally used as the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics are treated by the Department of Culture and the Museum of DKI Jakarta.This museum presents a collection of the works of Indonesian artists since the period of the late 1800s until the present.Fine Art Collection Indonesia is divided into several rooms based on periodization, namely: Space Time Raden Saleh (the works of the period from 1880 to 1890) The Indian Space Jelita (the works of the period of the 1920s) Space Persagi (the works of the period of the 1930s) Space Japanese Occupation Period (the works of the period from 1942 to 1945) Establishment of studio space (works of the period from 1945 to 1950) Space Around The Birth of Academic Realism (the works of the period of the 1950s) New Art Space of Indonesia (the works of the period 1960 - present)For collection of art featuring sculptures crate Totem Asmat and others.While the collection of ceramics featuring ceramics from several regions of Indonesia and contemporary creative arts. There was also a collection of ceramics from abroad such as ceramics from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Europe from the 16th century to early 20th century.


Of all the museum's collections, the most interesting to me is a collection of foreign ceramics. More precisely a collection of Chinese ceramics countries.Chinese state has a wide range of ceramic collection is divided into several periods depending on the dynasty:• Han Dynasty• Tang Dynasty• Song Dynasty• Ming Dynasty• Qing DynastyBetween the fifth dynasty that I chose as the Tang Dynasty ceramics museum collections Ceramics and Fine Arts to be discussed further.
TANG DYNASTYTang Dynasty (618-907) is one of the five most influential dynasties in history Cinasepanjang.Tang Dynasty replaced the short-lived Sui Dynasty, founded by the Li family. Li Yuan dynasty was founded in the year 618 and establish the Chang'an as the capital of this dynasty. In the midst of the heyday of this dynasty, there is a 15-year period in which Emperor Wu Zetian second notice the Zhou Dynasty. Emperor Wu Zetian was the only female emperor in Chinese imperial history.Tang name itself comes from the ancient name of the genie is now pointing to the province of Shanxi.
During this period (581-907) a variety of ceramics, many are produced. With the support of more advanced technology (at that time, of course) compared with the previous dynasty, the number of tiles produced far more and far more varied because it has been much affected by the culture of the Middle East as a result of the silk silk road or path. Characteristic of ceramics from the Tang dynasty is a simple and elegant model called qingci. Qingci is very popular because his motives are simple, just painted with one color, ie blue and white pottery keabuan.Contoh own works of Tang dynasty These include work, lead-glazed sancai (tigawarna) wares, high-firing, lime -glazed Yue celadon items and low-fired products from Changsha. In northern China, high-fired, translucent porcelain made in the combustion in the provinces of Henan and Hebei.
One of the first records mentioning that Tang porcelain made by Arab nomads.Tang noted that:They have been made in China, ceramics from clay that is very smooth and they were able to make a vase that was transparent like glass, or like water. Vases of the Tang dynasty is made of clay.The Arabs realized that the materials needed to make glass items, and he was sure it was not ordinary glass materials.
After we each get the materials to do the work history, we decided to leave the old town and headed for the famous ice cream shop, Ragusa. We re-boarded the bus Transjakarta. At first we wanted to visit other museums such as elephants or even entering the museum National Monument. But because many of our schedule is not possible, so we decided to go directly to Ragusa. However, unfortunately, because of missing a bus stop, Ragusa was also not able to visit.Very unfortunate. Finally we decided to stop at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, into the Grand Indonesia, and then return to their homes.