All About Indonesia

The House of Sampoernais everything that a museum should be but usually isn’t. Rather than a display of dry artefact from the past displayed in glass cases, the House of Sampoerna recreates history and shows its links to the living present, allowing the visitor to savour and enjoy rather than merely view and ponder.

In a single stately Dutch colonial-era compound, the museum tells the unfolding story of Sampoerna, the oldest and fastest growing manufacturer of kretek, the sweet smelling, clove scented, distinctly Indonesian tobacco product. The story begins with Liem Seeng Tee, a Hokkien immigrant who began his life as humble trader, selling flavoured tobacco from his small shop under a railroad bridge. Eventually, he concieved of the idea of selling pre-rolled cigarettes containing a blend of tobacco, cloves and other flavourings. His enterprise boomed, and within years he was the successful propieter of a major business. At the museum, the simple push bike that he first rode as an iterenant peddlar is on display as is the stretch limousine he bought several decades later. There is also a full range of photo and other momentoes from the company’s colourfull history, with pictures of the community brass band and testimonials from recipients of Sampoerna’s sholarships testifing to just how deeply the company is rooted in the social and cultural life of the region and nation.

But what makes the House of Sampoerna trully remarkable is that site of the museum adjoins a fully functional work unit of the present day company, where hundreds of nimble-fingered women workes hand-roll Sampoerna’s cigarettes at a dazzling speed. The visitor can view the operations from air-conditioned comfort through glass windows looking out over the operations. You can even try your own hand at rolling up Djie Sam Soe in the special display section. But there is much more to the House of Sampoerna than merely one of the nation’s best museum. The site also contains the Cafe, an art deco extravagance creatively restored and decorated with leaded glass windows and teak panels, and offering a fine range of Indonesian and Western dishes.

The art Gallery presentsa rotating series of exhibits from contemporary artists around Indonesia, either on loadn or for sale, while the Kiosk offers a wide selection of merchandise including mugs, t-shirts, jackets, ashtrays, caps, bags and much more besides.