The Ministry of Culture introduces a stamp-collection book to attract visitors, including international tourists, to museums and heritage sites across the archipelago
The Indonesian Ministry of Culture, through its Museum and Cultural Heritage (MCB) unit, has launched the “Museum Passport” (Paspor Museum), a participatory travel journal designed to transform museum visits into an interactive cultural experience. The initiative was unveiled on 18 May 2026, coinciding with the commemoration of International Museum Day at the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta. The passport, which allows visitors to collect distinctive stamps from each museum they visit, is scheduled for public release on 16 June 2026.
The program initially covers 18 museums and 34 cultural heritage sites under MCB management across various regencies and provinces. The Ministry has also invited privately managed museums to participate. The passport, a collaboration with creative partner Paperina, will be available at the IHA Shop in MCB-managed museums and is expected to be distributed through bookstores.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon expressed strong support for the initiative. He stated: “Hopefully this Museum Passport can be an initial step, an innovative step to make visitors come to museums. We must make it a lifestyle, like people going to malls or elsewhere. Visiting museums must become a cultured lifestyle for us”. He noted that similar approaches have been implemented in various countries to broaden public participation in cultural activities.
Head of MCB Indira Estiyanti Nurjadin explained that the passport was inspired by pre-digital travel stamp-collecting habits. As reported by RRI.co.id, she stated: “The inspiration came from the old habit when people travelled and liked to collect stamps. Now there is a tendency for the younger generation to return to liking analogue things”. She further noted that the trend is relevant to Generation Z and Alpha, who appreciate analogue experiences that can be preserved as collections. Based on MCB’s 2025 survey, young people dominate museum visits, making them the primary target audience.
Minister Zon emphasised that museums play a strategic role as centers of knowledge, reinforcers of national identity, and the foundation of the cultural economy. He also said: “Museums must become places where cultural capital is developed into public value and economic value in a sustainable manner”. He highlighted that museums can help rebuild trust and strengthen social cohesion amid an increasingly fragmented world. As of April 2026, Indonesia recorded 516 museums across the country.
The Museum Passport is expected to appeal not only to domestic visitors but also to international tourists seeking unique cultural experiences in Indonesia. The government continues to improve museum registration, digitalisation, and service quality. With the initiative, the Ministry aims to make museum visits a mainstream cultural lifestyle and strengthen Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy on the global stage.
Source: ANTARA News
