You can discover many places to visit in Jakarta, but one unique experience you will never forget is the Jakarta Textile Museum. Located in the Tanah Abang area of Central Jakarta the museum is housed in an imposing and aesthetically pleasing European-style building. 

Informative and intriguing

Step inside and you will find see a diverse and fascinating collection of traditional textiles originating from many far-flung regions of the vast nation of Indonesia. Each of the varied exhibits is accompanied with a label providing valuable information, such as the place of origin, material, purpose and production techniques of each item.

You can discover intriguing facts, for example that men from the rural regions in Kalimantan dress in clothes fashioned from processed bark, crafted to resemble smooth textiles, and that the Sumatran city of Palembang features its own distinctive batiks. 

You can encounter a well-maintained garden after which you will reach a large hall featuring the numerous plants which are used as natural dyes in creating textiles. For instance, tender teak leaves are used to colour cloth with a maroon colour. 

Become a master of batik

A popular feature at the Textile Museum is the instructional courses offered to people interested in learning the art of colouring and decorating textiles. Participants learn the art of creating patterns on fabric and applying wax on the drafted motifs.

Even if you are not adept at drawing will not be at a disadvantage as motifs are available which can be copied on to the cloth. After the completion of the dyeing procedure, the wax is boiled off and the batik cloth is sun-dried. Advanced courses are offered if you are interested in mastering the art.