Amongst the diverse attractions in Jakarta ranging from the most exotic to the modern and contemporary, there is also a Puppet Museum  also known as Museum Wayang. For the tourists who want to understand and get closer to the culture and heritage of this exotic land this is one place to explore. And it is indeed sure to provide both an educational and entertaining experience to both the young and the not so young alike.

The museum located at the heart of Indonesia in Jakarta, is a setting dedicated to Wayang puppetry, a popular form of puppetry art in Javanese culture. Wayang puppetry is a performance art conducted mainly in theatres and it uses either puppets or even human dancers for the Wayang performances. The puppets are usually made of leather or wood. This Wayang Museum was once referred to as the Shadow Puppet Museum too. It is indeed a wonderful place to browse through the collections of puppets from diverse territories across this exotic land.

The museum is located in a church building constructed in as far back as in 1640 under the name of the Old Dutch Church, referred to during the Dutch period as “de oude Hollandsche Kerk”. The collection displayed at this setting is diverse and consists of puppets ranging from Tejokusuman, Kedu, Surakarta, Ngabean, Kaper, Banyumas, Gedog, Madia Krucil, Cirebon, Sadat, Sasak, Wahyu, Kijang Suluh, Beber Klitik, Ukur, and Kencana. In November, 2003 the UN gave recognition to this form of Wayang art in Indonesia as a world heritage creation. Once in a while the museum also organizes theatre shows and performances of Wayang as well as workshops educating people on this form of art.

Visitors who are interested in this form of unique cultural heritage must visit this place and it would be of great interest to children as well. For families on holiday or business executives travelling the world looking for a comfortable Jakarta hotel, the Alila Jakarta would be a good choice to make. It is one hotel Jakarta that is both modern and sophisticated, providing a welcome retreat for business travellers and families alike. The wonderful experience that the guests receive at this hotel really suits the meaning of its name Alila, meaning Surprise.