Exploring the Inside of Indonesia’s First Firefighting Museum

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Jakarta is home to the ‘Museum Pemadam Kebakaran’ or Firefighting Museum. Owned by the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Service, this historical educational facility is located at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

The museum was established to provide the public with information about the history of firefighting. According to the Ministry of Culture’s website, this is the first fire department museum ever built in Indonesia.

The idea for this educational destination was conceived during the celebration of the Fire Department’s 96th anniversary. The facility was officially inaugurated on March 1, 2015, by the Vice Governor of Jakarta at the time, Djarot Syaiful Hidayat.

The museum building is integrated with the Cipayung Sector IX Fire Station. It was designed with ample space to accommodate a large fleet of fire trucks.

The interior of the museum consists of two floors featuring a minimalist design. The rooms are fully air-conditioned to ensure visitor comfort.

The first floor is dedicated to displaying various historical collections. Here, visitors can trace the agency’s development over time.

Meanwhile, the second floor serves as an audiovisual room with a capacity of 40 people. This room is regularly used to screen historical videos and conduct fire safety awareness sessions.

The museum presents the history of the fire department dating back to the Dutch East Indies colonial period. The story begins with the formation of the Brandweer Batavia in 1919.

Visitors can view a collection of both heavy and light firefighting equipment. As quoted by the Jakarta Fire Department’s website, the exhibits include a historic fire alarm bell used in 1920.

In addition to viewing the exhibits, the public can participate in a variety of engaging interactive programs. Young visitors can experience firsthand what it is like to use actual firefighting equipment.

The museum management even offers visitors the opportunity to ride in operational fire trucks. This program aims to enhance public understanding of fire prevention techniques from an early age.

For those interested in visiting, the museum is open from Wednesday to Saturday. Operating hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. WIB, and admission is free of charge.