Source: https://www.indonesia.travel/
Medan, which has existed since the 16th century, is an essential town of trade, industry, and company in Indonesia. That is due the city is located on a really busy and legendary global shipping lane, namely the Malacca Strait. Medan and its surroundings are also among the popular tourist destinations in Sumatra. The city provides many popular tourist attractions, including cultural and educational excursions packaged in many museums. Here are some interesting and popular museums in Medan to visit.
1. Tjong A Fie Mansion
Tjong A Fie is a Chinese businessman who has built a business in North Sumatra. Tjong A Fie’s two-story house, situated in the Kesawan area, Medan, North Sumatra, has been transformed into a museum open to the public. This is because this construction is quite valuable, particularly in terms of culture. As a home belonging to the rich, Tjong A Fie Mansion stands majestically with European, Chinese, European, and art-deco architectural fashions. The house was built in 1895, features 35 rooms surrounding a large open courtyard in the middle.
What is displayed in Tjong A Fie Mansion are photographs that tell the background of Tjong A Fie’s life. His family also display paintings and furniture. Other than learning about Tjong A Fie’s family and life, the visitors can also learn about Malay-Chinese culture at the site.
2. Rahmat International Wildlife Museum
Do you know Raline Shah? Well, the beautiful Indonesian artist was the daughter of Dr. H. Rahmat Shah, the owner of the Rahmat International Wildlife Museum. The Rahmat International Wildlife Museum shows various amazing collections of creatures which have been preserved legally and according to the law. The preserved animals are dead animals from many parks and zoos, legalized hunts, legal buys from various countries, as well as presents from friends.
3. Chinatown Site Museum
The Chinatown Site Museum is an archaeological site that displays various cultural and historical objects dating back many centuries. The Chinatown itself was once known as a prosperous global trading port inhabited by immigrants from mainland China. As a trading center, naturally, many nations look for Chinatowns to trade. Thus, in this cultural web, many objects that became the major trading commodities of the period, such as ceramics in Persia and China, coins out of Sri Lanka and China, and Buddha figurines in the Indies, were found.
4. State Museum of North Sumatra
The State Museum of North Sumatra is one of the most popular museums from the city of Medan. This museum has many interesting collections, together with the laying of their very first collection carried out by the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Soekarno, in 1954 at the Kind of Makara. What’s more, the State Museum of North Sumatra’s collections continued to rise till it reached over 6,700 items in 2005. Most of the collections exhibited in this public museum are in the shape of historical, cultural heritage objects, ranging from ancient events, classical Hindu-Buddhist influences, Islam, to the background of the struggle of the modern Indonesian people.
5. Money Museum of Sumatra
The Money Museum of Sumatra is a relatively new museum because it was just opened on May 2, 2017. The museum can also be considered as the very first money museum in Sumatra. The founder himself is Saparudin Barus, a money collector who also cares about the background of Indonesian cash. Some of the money collections exhibited in the Money Museum of Sumatra include coins (gold and silver) from different sultanates or kingdoms in Indonesia, plantation tokens from various regions in Sumatra, Oeang Republik Indonesia Region/Emergency or ORIDA in many regions, also Oeang Republik printing machines.
Planning to visit Medan soon? Find out more about Medan and Indonesia by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.
