RRI.CO.ID, Samosir - Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, emphasized the growing role of regional museums in preserving cultural heritage during a visit to the Batak Heritage Museum in Samosir, North Sumatra, 7 February 2026. The visit was part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen local cultural institutions as centers of education and tourism.

Located in Pangururan, Samosir Regency, the Batak Heritage Museum showcases an extensive collection of Batak cultural artifacts that reflect the community’s historical and social development. The museum presents its collection through a structured storyline that allows visitors to understand Batak life from daily activities to rituals and traditional ceremonies.

Fadli Zon said the Asian and global public could learn valuable lessons from how local heritage is preserved and presented in Indonesia. He noted that the museum effectively illustrates cultural transitions before and after the influence of religious missions in the Batak region.

“The Batak Heritage Museum is a very important place to understand Batak culture,” Fadli Zon said during the visit. “The collection is extensive and presented with a clear storyline that explains how Batak society lived in the past, from daily life to rituals and traditional ceremonies,” he added.

The minister also praised the museum’s ethnographic collection, which includes ceremonial staffs, traditional household tools, and symbolic objects such as royal pouches. According to him, the completeness of the collection makes the museum a strong model for regional museums across Indonesia.

“We see many ethnographic collections that are very interesting and quite comprehensive,” Fadli Zon said. “This is what we expect from regional museums, to showcase local collections that represent the identity and history of their communities,” he added.

Fadli Zon emphasized that museums should function beyond exhibition spaces and serve as effective learning centers. He said visitors can gain a comprehensive understanding of Batak traditions, including practices that remain active, those that have evolved, and others that have disappeared over time.

The minister expressed hope that the Batak Heritage Museum would continue to develop and become a cultural reference for local communities, younger generations, and international visitors. He also said the museum could contribute to regional economic growth through cultural tourism.