khanzacantik Traveling to Aceh is incomplete without visiting the Tsunami Museum. The Aceh Tsunami Museum is located in the center of Banda Aceh, not far from the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque. The Aceh Tsunami Museum is a museum to commemorate the horrendous tsunami events that hit Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam on December 26, 2004 which claimed approximately 240.000 people.
As a warning, in Aceh there is currently a museum that will remind visitors of the natural disaster, the Aceh Tsunami Museum. The museum was officially opened at the end of February 2009 as a monumental reminder of the disaster, as well as a reminder that humans will not be able to escape God’s power.
The functions of the Aceh Tsunami Museum are:
1. As a historical object, where the tsunami museum will be the center of research and learning about the tsunami disaster.
2. As a symbol of the strength of the Acehnese community in the face of the tsunami disaster.
3. As a legacy to future generations in Aceh in the form of a message that there was a tsunami in the area.
4. To remind the dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis that threaten the territory of Indonesia. This is because Indonesia is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, the belt of the volcano, and the path that surrounds the Pacific Basin. The fire ring area is an area that is often hit by earthquakes that can trigger a tsunami.
The Uniqueness of the Tsunami Museum
The Aceh Tsunami Museum Building was built on the initiative of several institutions and committees. This museum was designed by an architects from Bandung, West Java, Ridwan Kamil is a design that won an international competition held in 2007 in commemoration of the 2004 tsunami disaster.
The museum has a concept of Acehnese and as a main reference is Islamic values , local culture, and tsunami abstraction. This museum is a four-story structure with an area of 2,500 m with curved walls covered with geometric relief. From above, the roof resembles a tsunami. The ground floor is modelled on the kind of traditional raised Acehnese houses that were best equipped to survive the tsunami. When viewed from the side, the shape of the building is similar to the shape of a cruise ship.
Inside, visitors enter through a narrow, dark alley between two high water walls – to recreate the atmosphere and panic during the tsunami. The museum wall is decorated with images of Saman dancing people, a symbolic meaning of the Acehnese tribe’s strength, discipline, and religious beliefs. From above, the roof forms a sea wave. The ground floor is designed like a traditional Aceh stilt house that survived the brunt of the tsunami.
The Spaces at the Tsunami Museum
Here are some of the spaces in the Aceh Tsunami Museum that can be visited.
The Dark Hallway
Once visitors enter the museum, a dark hallway will be found in the reception area. The hall is narrow and high with a height of up to 40 meters. There is the effect of falling water so that visitors will likely get a little wet.
The narrow, dark, and high aisle with the falling flow of water reminds visitors of a tense atmosphere when the Tsunami disaster hits.
After passing through the dark aisle, there will be a room that is quite spacious containing pictures and photographs after the Tsunami disaster. There is a picture showing the destruction from the building to the evacuation of victims.
The Light of God
After passing through the exhibition hall, visitors will be invited to enter the dark room again. This room is called The Light of God. Just like His name, in this space God’s writings above will be found.
The writing is illuminated by light and illuminates a dark room that looks like a chimney. This dark room contains the names of Tsunami victims.
The impression obtained from this space is the spiritual impression that the victim has returned to God and implies that God has power over all beings. So that, this place can also be said as one of the Religious Tourist Places in Aceh.
The Bridge of Hope
Visitors who have come out of the dark room of The Light of God will continue the journey to the road that turns around out of the chimney. The impression obtained is the struggle against the swirling Tsunami waves.
After that, the exit will show on the Hope Bridge where the bridge is slightly uphill. There are around 52 country flags from all over the world. These countries are countries that help Indonesia when disaster strikes.
There is also a documentary film about Tsunami natural disasters with a duration of about 15 minutes. You can visit there to see the film to better understand the situation and things related to the Tsunami itself.
Those are some of the main rooms of the Aceh Tsunami Museum as one of the Tourist Attractions in Aceh that can be visited while there. In addition there are other facilities there such as souvenir shops, eating places, and etc.
Price of Admission
You can visit the Tsunami Museum in Aceh every day except Friday, because Friday is closed. The hours start at 09.00 – 12.00 A.M and will open again at 02.00 – 04.30 P.M. The good news is that there is no entry ticket price to go to this museum, or free. So that this tourist attraction can be one of the recommended attractions when visiting Aceh.
Location and Access of the Tsunami Museum
The location of the Tsunami Museum itself can be said to be quite affordable by tourists because its position is still in the middle of the city. Precisely on Jalan Sultan Iskandar Muda, Banda Aceh. Visitors can use private vehicles or public vehicles because the location is still possible to be reached by public transportation.
If you use public transportation, you can use city transportation called Labi-Labi by local residents. Labi-Labi who headed to the Tsunami Museum is number 05, which is majoring in Punge Station – Ulee Lheu. You can find Labi-Labi at the base at Keudah Station, which is near Baiturrahman. Labi-Labi tariffs are also cheap, which is only IDR 4,000 per person.
If you use bentor, a motorized pedicap, the fare is approximately IDR 15,000 to IDR 20,000 per pedicap. This price can be negotiated with pedicab driver. City transportation and bentor can be chosen according to your individual tastes.
Those are some explanations regarding the Aceh Tsunami Museum need to be known. Hopefully the explanation above is useful for you.
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