Take A Peek Thousands Collections Of Heirlooms From Many Era And Kingdoms In Tosan Aji Museum

Going to Purworejo Regency will be incomplete without visiting Tosan Aji Museum. The museum on Mayjen Sutoyo Street 70, Purworejo District, becomes the top tourist destination. The location is near Purworejo Square.

As we know, Tosan Aji Museum has numerous collections of heirlooms. It fits with the museum's name. Tosan is a weapon made from iron, metal, or steel. Meanwhile, Aji means something precious, magical, or that has charisma, so it gets an honored spot. For example, an old weapon with prestige or a blade with ornaments.

So, Tosan Aji means the old weapon made from iron, metal, or steel with a value or luck. It is also mentioned as the nation's culture in the age of perundagian. This heritage has become an identity of a nation's culture up to now.

Usually, Tosan Aji refers to a kris, sword, spear, kujang/kudi, cundrik, rencong, granggang, badik, saber, and sickle. In the past, Tosan Aji is used for many things, such as weapons for defense or other functions such as aesthetic, religious, social, and symbolic.

In Tosan Aji Museum, tourists cannot only see the collection of kris and other weapons but also see the cultural heritage such as inscription, yoni, phallus, and menhir.

Those collections are located in separate rooms. Tosan Aji blades are on the north side building, while the collections of cultural heritage are on the south part building.

When entering Tosan Aji Museum from the north side building, tourists will see a display of how Tosan Aji was made with the tools, materials, and the sample kris.

Then, there is a special traditional musical instrument of gamelan. Gamelan in Tosan Aji is a gift from Sultan Pakubuwono VI to the first Regent of Purworejo, Tjokro Nagoro. The gamelan ages more than three centuries or 380 years old.

In the main display room, Tosan Aji Museum has several rooms that have been categorized based on their era and origin. Starting from relics of Tosan Aji from Mataram, Majapahit, to the Padjajaran Kingdom. No wonder, some Tosan Aji have aged for hundreds of years. Even some of them aged 800 years old and came from the Padjajaran Kingdom, in the 12-13th century.

In Tosan Aji Museum, tourists can see katana swords from Japan aged 500 years old. Has been said, only some people with energy can control the sword. Also, the sword can be used as a belt.

There are collections of spears, swords, and other weapons in the Tosan Aji Museum. There is a spear named Upastinatah Kalacakra from the Majapahit Kingdom. The spear was given to the Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs from 1983 to 1988, Soepardjo Rustam. Soepardjo is also one of the founders of the Tosan Aji Museum.

In total, Tosan Aji Museum has more than 1,100 Tosan Aji blades. However, not all collections are displayed. There are certain times the blades are saved and replaced by other blades.

It is discovered that Tosan Aji Museum is firstly located in Pendopo Kawedenan, Kutoarjo, in 1987. Fourteen years later, or precisely on June 10, 2001, Tosan Aji Museum was moved to Purworejo. It was done to realize the integrated location of historical buildings in Purworejo Town Square. For example, there is The Great Mosque of Darul Muttaqin, which is popular with the biggest Bedug Pendowo in Indonesia, and the Tosan Aji Museum on the southern side. Tosan Aji Museum occupied the former courthouse in the Dutch era.

For getting historical knowledge and seeing the collection of Tosan Aji in this museum, tourists only need to spend a thousand rupiahs as the entrance fee. Tourists can also have a guide to accompany their journey in the museum and get complete information. 

Tosan Aji Museum opens every day and closes on national holidays. The open hour on Monday to Thursday is from 8 AM to 4 PM. Meanwhile, on Friday, this museum opens from 7 AM - 3 PM and on Saturday-Sunday, it opens from 7 AM to 12 PM. (Contributor)