Located in East Jakarta, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) is a cultural theme park that encapsulates the rich diversity of Indonesia’s heritage. Envisioned by the wife of Suharto, Siti Hartinah (better known as Ibu Tien Suharto), it was inaugurated in April 1975.
Taman Mini certainly followed the ethos of President Suharto’s government, one focused on nationalism, conceived to foster national pride: a one-stop shop to discover the breadth of Indonesian culture. With all due credit, even 50 years later, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is quite the feat: a sprawling 150 hectares jam-packed with attractions, museums and experiences. At its heart is the TMII central lake, inside of which a miniature archipelago captures the nation’s vast geography: a cable car glides above the lake for visitors to get a bird’s eye view of this impressive map.
One of the main attractions of the park is its pavilions representing the country’s different provinces, complete with traditional architecture, clothing, dances and crafts — it’s a highlight reel of Indonesia. The park offers exploration beyond the cultural too, with fifteen museums each with their own theme, be it stamps and batik to insects and reptiles, or the history of transportation. Many of the buildings are themselves visual marvels, like the Purna Bhati Pertiwi Museum, that displays President Suharto’s personal souvenirs, shaped like ‘Tumpeng’ rice, or the fauna museum inside of a giant Komodo dragon, and the iconic ‘Keong Emas (Golden Snail)’ IMAX theatre.
Since 2021, the park was absorbed into Indonesia’s state-owned tourism company, InJourney, subsequently undergoing significant revitalisation. A notable addition is the ‘Jagat Satwa Nusantara’ (Wildlife of the Archipelago), which includes revitalised attractions such as the Bird Park, Komodo Museum and Reptile Park, and the Freshwater World and Insect exhibits.The Bird Park, houses around 2,000 birds across 216 species, offering interactive experiences and educational opportunities for visitors.
With so many attractions and activities, it would take multiple visits to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah to experience the breadth of what it has to offer, but there is no doubt the park is a window into the country’s many unique facets of culture, history and environment.
