Colonial Legacies and the Unchanging Fate of Indonesian Artifacts in Museums across Europe and Asia: Insights from the Delft Nusantara Museum Collections

This research examines the complex trajectories of Indonesian cultural artifacts following the 2013 closure of the Delft Nusantara Museum in the Netherlands, which led to the dispersal of approximately 18,000 objects across museums in Europe and Asia. Through archival research, museum visits, and interviews with curators and communities in Indonesia, the study traces the "diaspora" of these collections to institutions including the Museum Nasional Indonesia (Jakarta), the Asia Culture Center (Gwangju, South Korea), and the Wereldmuseum (Netherlands). The analysis focuses on three key moments: Indonesia's initial refusal and subsequent acceptance of repatriated objects, the symbolic return of a single artifact by the Dutch Prime Minister in 2015, and the permanent exhibition of over 750 Indonesian objects at the ACC Gwangju in 2024. By examining exhibition narratives—particularly the ACC's framing of Southeast Asian maritime heritage through themes of monsoon winds, cultural exchange, and inclusivity—the research interrogates how colonial legacies persist in museum practices across both European and Asian contexts. The study reveals that while physical repatriation has occurred, the interpretation, curation, and narrative control over Indonesian artifacts remain largely in the hands of foreign institutions, raising critical questions about ownership, representation, and the unfinished decolonization of museum collections.