Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
In the Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) area, Cikini, Central Jakarta, stands a large building that stores
history
the length of science education in Indonesia.Jakarta Planetarium, which once became an icon
tourism
educatif finally emerged from ‘suspended animation’ after 13 years, and reopened on Tuesday (23/12).
The history of the Jakarta Planetarium began in 1969, during the reign of the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno.Even though Indonesia already has the Bosscha Observatory in Lembang, West Java, Sukarno believes that Jakarta still needs to have its own planetarium and observatory.
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At that time, people’s understanding of celestial bodies was still often mixed with superstition.Natural phenomena such as eclipses and the appearance of comets are often associated with bad omens, ranging from natural disasters to the deaths of great figures.
Seeing these conditions, the Proclamator wanted to build a Planetarium so that people would no longer associate celestial phenomena with mystical things.Through observatory facilities, the public is expected to be able to understand astronomy scientifically and rationally, while enjoying the beauty of the universe.
Soekarno also predicted that the Jakarta Planetarium would be the largest in the world at that time.
“We will establish a planetarium in Jakarta, in this place, it is the largest planetarium in the entire world,” said Soekarno in a speech, citing various sources.
In fact, at that time the Jakarta Planetarium was the first in Southeast Asia.Soekarno imagined that around 500 people could sit under the giant dome while watching the panorama of space.
“So that under the dome people can sit. Five hundred people. In other places only three hundred. Brothers, this is no joke in Indonesia,” he continued.
The construction of the Planetarium certainly cost a lot, reaching billions of rupiah and millions of US dollars at that time.On the recommendation of Bosscha Observatory experts, various main equipment of the Planetarium were imported directly from Jena, East Germany.
However, Soekarno did not want this development to burden state finances.The government then collaborated with private companies that are members of the Indonesian Batik Cooperative Association (GKBI) to help finance the project.Based on records, GKBI contributed funds amounting to IDR 1.67 billion.
Unfortunately, construction of the Planetarium stopped in 1967 due to political turmoil following the G30S/PKI events.GKBI stopped disbursing funds, so construction was only realized about half of the initial plan.
Redevelopment continued at the end of 1967 with funding support from the Regional Government of DKI Jakarta.Gradually, the Planetarium was finally completed and inaugurated on November 20, 1968.
The premiere was held on March 1 of the following year, a date later celebrated as the birthday of the Jakarta Planetarium.
This planetarium is equipped with a main projector flown directly from Germany, 89 special effects projectors in the performance room, electronic control units, and supporting audiovisual equipment.
In 1982, astronomer Darsa Soekartadiredja proposed purchasing a portable telescope to observe the Total Solar Eclipse that occurred in June the following year.Over time, the telescope degraded in quality.In 1994, the DKI Jakarta Regional Government again approved the purchase of a new star telescope with a diameter of 31 cm.
Modernization continued in 1996, when the Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory Management Agency updated the show system.The latest generation projector from Carl Zeiss replaces the old projector which has been in operation for 27 years.
Over the years, the Jakarta Planetarium has continued to be maintained and improved in function.This place is a favorite study space for students to get to know the solar system and astronomy, with the star theater as the main attraction.
Sky stories, from Indonesian folk tales such as Joko Belek to Greek mythology about Orion the hunter, are presented in a charming way.
This golden era stopped in 2019, as the revitalization of the TIM area was followed by the Covid-19 pandemic.Planetarium operations also stopped completely.Even though TIM’s revitalization will be completed in 2022, the Jakarta Planetarium has never been opened to the public.
During 13 years of suspended animation, the public’s longing for the Jakarta Planetarium was maintained through the Mini Planetarium show.Until finally, on December 23 2025, the Jakarta Planetarium was officially reopened by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Pramono Anung Wibowo.
Now, the Jakarta Planetarium is here with a new face and more up-to-date technology.As a celebration of its reopening, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is providing students with access to free visits for three months.
Space can again be explored from the heart of the capital city.Welcome back, Jakarta Planetarium.
(ana/tis)
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