National Museum Ticket Price Increase Criticized Don’t Make Access to Education Difficult

THE POLICY of the management of the National Museum of Indonesia (MNI) which significantly increased entrance ticket prices as of January 1 2026 has drawn sharp criticism. This policy is considered to hinder public access to knowledge and reduce interest in educational tourism, which is currently still relatively low.

Education activist from Sanggar Askala Edukasi, Nurfahmi Budi, urged the management to be more transparent in explaining the reasons behind the decision.

According to him, the public has the right to know the strong background behind the spike in ticket prices which are considered quite expensive.

“The public needs to know what is the strong reason behind the increase in expensive entrance ticket prices to the National Museum. Don’t just argue about improving the quality of services,” said Nurfahmi in his official statement in Jakarta, Saturday.

Criticism of the Function of the State Museum

Nurfahmi emphasized that as a government-run institution, the National Museum has a moral responsibility to facilitate access to education for citizens.

He regretted the double price increase because he considered it was done without careful consideration.

Furthermore, he reminded that the National Museum should not act like a private institution that is solely profit-oriented.

Considering its status as a state asset, reasons for improving services should be met through APBN allocations, not by charging high fees to visitors.

“There is definitely budget availability from the state because the National Museum is owned by the government. So the reason for improving services can be allocated from the state budget. That way people don’t have to pay expensive visits to the museum to study,” emphasized the founder of the Askala Education Studio.

Complaints from Educators

A similar tone also came from teachers. Kartini, a teacher from Bekasi, West Java, complained about the impact of this tariff increase on teaching and learning activities outside of school. He is worried that the budget that students have to spend on study visits will increase drastically.

This concern is very reasonable if you look at the new tariff structure that has been implemented. Based on the data collected, student groups who previously received free access are now being charged fees which are quite significant for students’ pockets.

The following is a detailed comparison of National Museum ticket rates before and after January 1 2026:

• Students (PAUD-SMA) & College Students: Originally free, now IDR 30,000.
• Adult Visitors (WNI): Initially IDR 25,000, increased to IDR 50,000.
• Foreign Citizens (WNA): Initially IDR 50,000, increased to IDR 150,000.

This tariff increase will be a new challenge for the world of education in early 2026, amidst the government’s efforts to encourage historical literacy through museums. (Ant/Z-1)