TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has designated 430 objects as new National-level Cultural Heritage Sites. These 430 objects were selected from 876 proposals. The latest designations mark the initial phase toward the Ministry of Culture's target of 1,750 designations by the end of 2026.
"After reviewing proposals and holding several meetings, I have designated 430 objects as National Cultural Heritage Sites. This year, our target is 1,750, though we hopefully can even surpass 2,000," Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said during a press conference at Building A of the Ministry of Education and Culture complex in Central Jakarta on May 19, 2026.
Fadli highlighted a number of specific objects, including repatriated items, inscriptions kept at the National Museum of Indonesia (MNI), and various temples that had previously lacked formal cultural heritage status despite their exceptional historical value. Following these latest designations, the total number of National-level Cultural Heritage Sites in the country has reached 743 objects.
Among the 430 newly designated objects are four masterpiece collections of Homo erectus skulls and bones discovered by Eugene Dubois, recently repatriated from the Netherlands; the Metanduno Cave in Liangkabori Village, Lohia, Muna, Southeast Sulawesi, which houses prehistoric handprint paintings; the Muara Takus Temple in Kampar Regency, Riau Province; the Banten Grand Mosque in Kasemen, Serang City, Banten; and the Old Palopo Mosque in Batupasi, Wara Utara, Palopo, South Sulawesi.
Pictures of Homo erectus and skull, molar, and thigh bone remains from the species we now call Homo erectus, part of the Eugene Dubois collection that will be repatriated. Doc. Naturalis Museum
Other designated items include the Bank Indonesia Kampung Baru Building in Baiturrahman, Banda Aceh; a collection of 335 artifacts returned from the 1894 Lombok war booty; the Rante Pallawa Site in Pallawa Village, Sesean District, North Toraja, South Sulawesi; the Canggal Inscription (Inventory Number D.4) at the National Museum of Indonesia; and the Riau-Lingga Kingdom Regalia, also housed at the National Museum.
The government's overall target of 1,750 national cultural heritage designations is broken down into specific categories. These include 1,000 collections from the National Museum of Indonesia, 500 repatriated cultural artifacts from abroad, and 250 objects submitted through standard provincial and regency channels.
Deliberations and assessments for the next rounds of designations are scheduled to take place in the near future. Objects slated for discussion in the next phase include the recently returned Pita Maha paintings, artifacts from the Puputan Badung and Puputan Klungkung historical events, and additional pieces from the National Museum collection.
Challenges in Designating Cultural Heritage Objects
The formal designation of these hundreds of objects faced long delays, partly due to bureaucratic hurdles. Fadli pointed to a scarcity of certified cultural heritage experts at the regency and provincial levels, compounded by a lack of historical and cultural awareness among certain local governments. He emphasized that every regency and province should ideally establish its own expert cultural heritage team.
"The lack of local expert teams to propose and evaluate these objects has caused a stagnation [in the process]," Fadli noted.
Another hurdle is the difficulty in procuring the necessary academic and research documentation required to validate the historical provenance of objects during the proposal phase. "We are addressing these issues," he added.
According to Fadli, the preservation strategies for these national heritages will depend on the unique characteristics and locations of the respective collections. He believes that transforming these cultural assets into "living heritage" can also drive the growth of cultural tourism, pilgrimage tourism, and a community-based cultural economy. Maintenance and operational expenses will be managed through public-private partnership frameworks rather than relying solely on the State Budget.
Muara Takus Temple in Muara Takus Village, Kampar Regency, Riau, June 13, 2025. A testament to the glory of the Srivijaya Kingdom, Muara Takus Temple stands out with its red-brick construction and unique Mahligai Stupa architecture. This historic site in Kampar reflects Sumatra’s golden age as a center of Buddhist civilization that influenced Southeast Asia. Shutterstock
He explained that sites like the Muara Takus temple, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Agency, typically have dedicated caretakers. Meanwhile, the collections at the National Museum of Indonesia are managed by the Museums and Cultural Heritage Public Service Agency (BLU). As for the Banten Grand Mosque, the Minister stated that its specific maintenance funding model is currently under consideration.
Fadli also noted that these cultural heritages have the potential to become economically viable cultural tourism destinations. To truly capture public interest, the existence of these heritage objects must be presented alongside compelling historical narratives and verified data. He cited the examples of historical gravesites abroad that successfully draw international visitors by offering deep insights into the figures and philosophies of the past.
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