SIDH VISITS BRONBEEK, A MUSEUM ABOUT DUTCH EAST INDIES

Bronbeek — SIDH organised a study-tour to the Bronbeek Museum in Arnhem, Thursday, 17 March 2016. Our students of all levels took part in this one-day contextual learning programme. They were accompanied by teachers and led by our Principal, Mr Budi Wahyu Rianto.

This museum was a gift from King Willem III of The Netherlands and is now dedicated to keep many of war artifacts collected during the period of Dutch East Indies. It exposes the historical influence of the Dutch government on the society in the colony and the operations of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Armed Forces (KNIL).

Our students were really enthusiastic to follow the programme. Some of the artifacts are familiar to them such as the various weapons confiscated as spoils of war belonged to several national heroes from Aceh, the Moluccas, Java, etc. Indonesia showcased in the exposition. They explored new insight in understanding their own history from the former ‘coloniser’ perspective.; to give them the chance to grow as broad-minded persons while maintaining their own interpretation of Indonesian history.

The tour inside the museum was arranged chronologically, from the Dutch Golden Age up to the post 2nd World War. Dutch East Indies and Indonesia feature prominently in the exhibition.