Figure 1. PYC team observed precious metals processing at the Museum of Geology
On April 21, 2018, Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center (PYC) visited the Museum of Geology in Bandung. The museum which has various collections of geological and archaeological objects is under the structure of the Geological Agency, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia. Museum of Geology was first inaugurated by the Dutch East Indies (in Bahasa: Hindia – Belanda) government on May 16, 1929. This building was initially functioned as an office of the Dutch East Indies government for geological services. It is equipped with geological laboratory facilities, and museums to store and demonstrate the results of geological surveys.
During the Dutch East Indies government regime (1929-1941), the Museum of Geology is called “Geologisch Laboratorium”. Several geological researchers from the Dutch government, who were on duty at that time studying energy and mineral resources in the Indies (Now Indonesia) region, did their laboratory work at the Museum of Geology. Until now, the Museum has been renovated with grants from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). After undergoing major renovations, the Museum of Geology reopened and inaugurated by the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia at the time, Megawati Soekarnoputri on August 23, 2000.
The Museum of Geology is also one of the historical monuments. It consists of three floors (one underground level) which are stored and managed by abundant geological materials, such as fossils, rocks, and minerals. These materials were collected during fieldwork in Indonesia since 1850, and there are several collections of exchanges and grants from other countries. The museum has also several maket and heritage objects due to volcano disasters in Indonesia.
