Conservators’ Professional Visibility in Public Cultural Institutions in Jakarta: A Case Study

Abstract This paper provides a discussion about the conservation profession in the Jakarta area of Indonesia. The study, which uses descriptive and qualitative research, was conducted among three public, cultural institutions: a museum, a conservation center, and a library. These institutions were chosen because of their collection of ancient manuscripts and their employment of professional conservators. The study’s findings show that conservators are concerned about the visibility of their profession in terms of lack of appreciation from the government as well as the status of their profession and that they believe they need professional associations and more comprehensive legal instruments to strengthen their profession’s visibility and the public’s opinion of them. This paper contributes to the discussion of the conservation profession, especially in the Indonesian context.