Museum Haji Widayat, Museum of Indonesian Fine Arts

A. Overview

Haji Widayat Museum is a concrete manifestation of dream, obsession, and achievement of the painter H. Widayat. Aside from being a place of personal as well as showcasing the works of painters and other arts, his main motivation was to make his personal museum as a place to learn and appreciate the Indonesian fine arts.

This is certainly related to his profession. Besides being a painter, he is also a visual art teacher at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts (formerly named ASRI or Indonesian Fine Arts Academy). The idea of establishing born from his concern when seeing the works of his students that simply piled up in warehouses and many were missing taken. Coming home from studying in Japan in 1962, the proposal to make this museum came and offered by his close friend, Fadjar Sidik.

Indonesian fine arts museum of Haji Widayat stands on the land area approximately 7000 m2 ±. The museum has three main buildings, which are Museum H. Widayat, Gallery Hj. Soewarni, and Art Shop Hj. Soemini, as well as the garden area that used to put the outdoor arts. Its construction was completed in early 1994, and officially opened on April 30, 1994, by the Minister of Education and Culture, Prof. DR. Ing. Wardiman Djojonegoro.

The museum is built based on architect design of Ir. H. Edji Sukedji who was known by H. Widayat when both performed the pilgrimage. The main building on the land area of ± 2.500 m2 consists of 2 floors. The 1st floor is devoted for exhibiting the works of H. Widayat in various media. Meanwhile, the 2nd floor is devoted for exhibiting the works of other artists that belong to the collection of Widayat. The other unique thing in the museum building is the lighting system utilizing the sunlight that penetrates the wall of glasses.

Gallery Hj. Soewarni was officially opened on March 20, 1999, by the Rector of Indonesia Institute of the Arts, Prof. DR. I Made Bandem. Its construction of was regarded as an honor of the merits of his first wife. The building area of 1300 m2 was also designed by Ir. H. Edji Sukedji, full of warehouses for the storage of paintings, offices, mezzanine and private pool.

The gallery can accommodate more than 50 paintings and graphics, as well as more than 20 works of sculpture and art. It also saved dozens of private ancient collections of the main attraction for the visitors.

The last building included in the museum complex of Haji Widayat is Joglo style building named Art Shop Hj. Soemini. This building is designed by Ir. Agung Wijanarko who is also the 5^th son of H. Widayat and his wife Hj. Soemini. The construction of the building area of 1300 m2 was completed in 2001.

The building of Art Shop Hj. Soemini is divided into 3 parts, which the front room is for the sale of souvenirs, sale of art works of young artists, and workshop. The second part is the middle room that is a marble room contains some paintings or sketches of H. Widayat’s works engraved on the marble and tacked on the wall. The third part is a resort, which also designated as the studio where H. Widayat creates his works.

B. Features

Haji Widayat Museum has such broad functions that not only as a monument but also as a place of "notes" of history, documentation and learning place for the next generation. The collection is also used as the main standard measuring the development of painting and fine art in Indonesia generally.

The collection is in huge numbers and consists of various kinds of works in various media and it is increased in its number and type over times. Initially, the collection was only reach about 140 pieces belong to H. Widayat’s own works, and now it has developed into 1001 pieces in various sizes and forms.

Similarly, the museum's collection of other artists that was only reached about 130 pieces at the beginning of the museum stood. Currently, it also has increased to about 500 pieces of works consisting of paintings, sketches, sculptures and other antiques.

C. Location

Museum of Indonesian Fine Arts, Haji Widayat Museum, is located at the tourist route between Mendut and Borobudur Temple, precisely at St. Lieutenant Tukiyat 32 Mungkid City, Magelang Regency, Central Java.

D. Access

Museum of Indonesian Fine Arts, Haji Widayat Museum can be reach during visiting Mendut Temple and Borobudur Temple in Magelang at once. When the visitors came from the direction to Yogyakarta, the destination point is Mendut Temple, thus the location of the museum is located in about one kilometer south of the temple (exactly at T-intersection of Mungkid).

E. Ticket Price

The museum admission price is amounting to IDR 1,000, for children and IDR 2,000 for adults (April 2010). The museum was opened at 8:00 until 16:00.

F. Accommodation and other Facilities

In addition to the museum building, H. Widayat also builds a residence, as well as used as his studio, and guest houses as a place to stay for the guests.

Text: Tri Adi Pramono

English translation: M. Noer Said

Photo: Indra Jati Prasetiyo

(Primary Data and various sources)

If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
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