Often refered to as Gedung Gajah or the Elephant Building because of an elephant statue at its entrance, this is where you’ll find two centuries’ worth of Indonesian history and heritage. Since 1868, it has amassed an enviable collection of 61,600 prehistoric and anthropological artifacts, and 5,000 archaeological artifacts from all over Indonesia and Asia, making it the most complete and comprehensive collection in the country.

Laying out traditional tools of the trade, the museum has thousands of local fabrics including batik, ikat, pelangi, tenun, songket, and celup. The gift shop allows visitors to bring home a piece of history and wearable souvenirs.

Managed by DKI Jakarta, the museum (a former 19th century Dutch-style warehouse) displays local maritime history including traditional sailing vessels like the pinisi, lancang and gelati.