Onrust Island exhibit traces Nusantara hajj voyages by sea
The exhibit runs through Jan. 1, 2027 and highlights Onrust as a hajj quarantine hub from 1911-1933.
The Onrust Archaeological Museum in the Thousand Islands opened the temporary exhibit “From Batavia to Baitullah: Memories of Hajj in the Past” to trace the history of Nusantara hajj travel. The exhibit opened on Aug. 20, 2026 and is open to the public from Aug. 21, 2026 through Jan. 1, 2027. It highlights hajj travel in the era when sea travel was the main route to Jeddah, while positioning Pulau Onrust as an important node in the maritime hajj network. According to museum managers, Onrust once served as a hajj quarantine center during the Dutch East Indies period in 1911-1933, both before departure and after pilgrims returned. The exhibit also involves partners including Sultanate of Oman, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Universitas Indonesia, UHAMKA, Universitas Tarumanagara, and UNUSIA.