An international team consisting of 5 experts on museums and natural desasters assessed the Acheh Tsunami Museum. Max Meijer of TiMe Amsterdam presented the preliminary recommendations. The assessment was commisioned by Unesco Jakarta Office.

1. ATM Observations of the
international assessment team
Jakarta 12 October 2015
Max Meijer, TiMe Amsterdam museum and heritage consultants
on behalf of the assessment team

2. ATM
2015
Current situation and performance

3. ATM Next?
What are the development opportunities for
a sustainable future of ATM

4. ATM
1. Mission and vision
2. Observations on:
a. overall museum concept
b. presentations/exhibitions
c. collection
d. public (visitors)
e. management/governance
3. preliminary conclusions

5. Meeting with Prof. Dr. H. Arief Rachman, M. Pd. (07-07-2015):
“Aceh Tsunami Museum is a museum for
the Indonesian people, but also a museum
of the World…”

6. Drs. Rahmadhani, M. Bus (Aceh Culture and Tourism Office):
In: Introduction to ‘Tsunami tourism’:
“The best way to save lives in a Tsunami is not
by building sea walls but by showing residents
what happens”

7. Observation 1:
ATM is a museum with an important message to
the world.
The kwowledge presented here can save lives in
the future.
Tsunami 2004 affected, Atjeh, Indonesia, the
Indian Ocean Region, with global action (and
solidarity) as a response.

8. Observation 2:
The current mission and vision do reflect this:
Vision :
Make the museum as a center of disaster education and
always be prepared for next disaster.
Mission :
Provide a world class service to meet public satisfaction.
But… can be more explicit (specific)!

9. Recommendation 1:

10. Mission and vision of ATM should:
→Provide consencus, guidance and inspiration to
ATM, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Reources,
Geological Agency, Province of Aceh and others
involved in governance and management.
→ Is a focus for all employees in their work
every day.
→ Shoud be specific and written in an
inspirational manner (that makes it easy for all to
repeat it at any given time).

11. Mission and vision of ATM should:
→ Used to guide the museum’s actions
& decision making, for:
Today
▪ Going concern operations (day to day)
Future:
▪ Development (collecting/narrative)
▪ Revitalization (overall master planning)

12. Reconsider scope of ATM
→ Be ‘inclusive’: consider wider
geographical narrative scope (from
Aceh to Indian Ocean).
→ Become truly international accesible
(content, context and multilingual!)
→ Collect testimonials of survivors.
→ Explain connection between Tsunami
and sustainable peace in Aceh.
Recommendation 2:

13. Focus on target groups (for whom?)
→ Survivors and relatives of victims
→ Schoolgroups (education)
→ Indonesian tourists (leisure and
information)
→ International tourists (region/world)
→ Special interest groups (researchers,
professionals)
Recommendation 3:

14. ATM
(Some) Observations on
overall museum concept

15. → World class architecture in service of the mission of the museum.
→ Intelligent and engaging overall concept (combining spiritual,
historical, religious, emotional, didactic, educational, scientific,
practical values and aspects).
→ Wow! Factor (building is an experience in itself).
→ Well maintained.
General observations on museum building-concept

16. Observation: Tsunamy Alley
Strong first experience, but do all visitors
understand the intention?
Suggestion: ad sounds (voices?), information

17. Observation: Memorial Hall
Is it effective? 26 identical screens (they look like touch
screens but aren’t), information value is more or less
the same as in the 9 minutes audio theater…
Suggestion: consider 26 testimonials / personal accounts
combined with basic facts and statistics (context info)

18. Observation: Chamber of Blessing
Strong impact, deep religious and touching spiritual
experience
Suggestion: elucidate in which way the 4000 names
represent the appx. 170.000 victims and add information
for international visitors

19. Observation: Ramp Cerobong
Strong impact, effective passage from ‘engaging
emotion an religious based experience’ to
‘information based museum presentations’
Suggestion: keep it as is is now, but inform visitors about
the ‘peace’ signs and flags at the ceiling…

20. Observation: Audiovisual
Strong impact, touching images and sound, well
edited, thoughtfull narrative, effective introduction
(context) on the museum presentations (content)
Suggestion: now only 40 seats…on crowded days visitors
will have to miss this… find a solution to this limitation

21. Observation: Exhibitions and Presentations
The assesment team will send all individual
and detailed observations and recommendations
concerning the exhibitions seperately to UNESCO
Concerning:
→ Theme’s
→ Narrative
→ Object selection
→ Captions, labels
→ Graphics
→ Design
→ Routing
Etc…

22. Just a few general remarks on
Exhibitions and Presentations…

23. 1. Selection of objects is important within the frame-
work of the exhibitions narrative (storyline). They
should tell a story which adds value for the visitor.
Museum should collect and present this information.

24. Observation: Presentations/Exhibitions
Assesment team made many detailed comments
and recommendations, these will be rapported
seperately in individual reports to UNESCO.
2. The dedicated and moving guidance by museum
guides (Tsunami survivors) is a unique and
touching way of interaction with the visitor,
as we experienced during the guided tour by
mrs. Rayhal Fajriah. It’s a great asset!

25. 3. Be very selective in the use of hands-on and digital
(interactive) presentation items. They shoud add
information value to the storyline.
Only include these when maintenance and full
operation is ALWAYS secured.

26. 4. Connect the outdoor exhibits with the storyline
in the museum exhibition rooms.
Take care of preservation (condition may
detoriorate soon…)

27. 5. The museum rooftop is part of the concept of
the ATM as a emergency shelter…

28. … Why not open the rooftop as the final part of the
museum visit, accessible to all visitors…?

29. The rooftop does add a sense of place (how close is
the sea shore), resilience (of the Atjehnese people),
and awareness (visitors experience a real
emergency shelter). And it’s fun too! (great photo
spot for group photos and selfies).

30. 6. ATM as start of the Tsunami heritage/memory
trail, connecting all existing sites, like PLTD Apung 1

31. The fishing boat atop of a ruined house

32. … Kuburan Massal…

33. … Aceh thanks the world Memorial Park monuments

34. To realize this all, the ATM might need
extra staff…
Recommendation:

35. Final Remarks (1)
ATM has all the potention to be a
world class museum of excellence
located in Banda Aceh…

36. Final Remarks (2)
ATM might be the only museum in
the world that has all the potention
to save lives in the future…
That makes ATM unique and highly
valuable.

37. Final Remarks (2)
Pre conditions:
→ Consensus on mission and
vision by all parties involved.
→ Appropriate governance and
funding.
→ Implementation of (museological)
knowledge (curator) in ATM.
Guideline:
→ Overall masterplan for revitalisation.

38. Thank you
Terima Kasih