All this time, children have only known about the glory of Islam through films and books. However, now in Lamongan, they can see firsthand the historical artifacts that serve as evidence of Islam’s greatness worldwide.
At a specialized museum dedicated to showcasing the grandeur of Islam, the Indonesian Islamic Art Museum, located at Wisata Bahari Lamongan (WBL) on Jalan Raya Paciran, these treasures are on display.
Established on December 28, 2016, this museum, also known as the Islamic Museum, has become an attractive destination for school-aged children to expand their knowledge.
“I brought the children here for a study tour,” said Rinayatul Qoiroh, a visitor from Glagah Subdistrict, on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
Why? At the Indonesian Islamic Art Museum, visitors are presented with knowledge about the history of Islamic development, starting from the pre-Prophet Muhammad SAW era to the arrival of Islam in the Nusantara. The museum is divided into three zones: the audio-visual zone, the gallery of Islamic empires, and the diorama zone.
“This is to educate the children so that they can learn about SKI (Islamic Cultural History),” Qoiroh explained.
The museum features a collection of historical artifacts from around the world, including relics from the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, the Mughal Empire in India, the Chinese Dynasties, Samudera Pasai in Sumatra, Aceh, Mataram Islam, and the legacy of Walisongo in Java.
Visitors can also see firsthand artifacts from various foreign empires, such as the Ottoman Empire, Mughal India (Taj Mahal), and the Chinese Dynasties. Among these are the Zulfikar Shamsir sword, Turkish armor, Qur’an manuscripts, and much more. There are also hundreds of ceramic collections from the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Qing Dynasties, as well as the Champa Kingdom and several Gujarat fabrics from India.
“We’ve learned about its history and artifacts. What I found particularly interesting was the Chinese section, where we could see old Chinese coins and many other relics,” Qoiroh added.
Another visitor, Safiyatul Qoiriyah, expressed her amazement at the history of Islam’s glory in the world. “I never knew before, but coming here, I learned about Islamic history,” said Safiyatul.
In the first zone, the audio-visual zone, she was treated to a 15-minute short film about the history of Islamic civilization worldwide. The film depicted life in the Arabian Peninsula in the past, the arrival of Prophet Muhammad SAW, the Caliphate era, and the spread of Islam across the globe.
“The film was fascinating because it told the complete history of Islam,” Safiyatul said. In the diorama zone, she even took photos with various three-dimensional miniatures, such as the Cheng Ho Mosque and Ship, the Banten Grand Mosque, Persian shops, and depictions of trade during the spread of Islam in Indonesia.
Providing education and knowledge is indeed the primary purpose of the Indonesian Islamic Art Museum, especially for school-aged children.
To gain more insight into the history of Islamic civilization at the Islamic Museum, visitors only need to pay Rp10,000 for a ticket on weekdays (Monday-Thursday) and Rp15,000 on weekends (Friday-Sunday).
“We have hundreds of collections, including items from abroad, such as Turkey, Mughal India, and the Chinese dynasties from mainland China,” said Karim.
This article is sourced from TIMES INDONESIA:
https://timesindonesia.co.id/wisata/149246/ini-sensasi-berkunjung-ke-indonesian-islamic-art-museum