Memorial Museum Of The Sultanate Of Ternate, Center of the Splendor Royal Legacy of the Sultanate Ternate

The Sultan of Ternate Kedaton Museum is a center to discover the splendor of the royal legacy of the Sultanate of Ternate. The building was erected in 1813 by Sultan Muhammad Ali as a palace for the Sultan. Designed by a Chinese architect, it is structured in the shape of an octagon and covers an area of 1,500 square meters. The building sits atop a hill of lime trees which is shaped like a lion couchant, his face towards the sea and his back to the majestic Mt Gamalama.

Within this building lies the memory of a kingdom and the history of a government as it began to flourish, before being snatched away by colonial nations. Objects of the Ternate Kedaton Museum include a vast range of items of geology, archeology, history, technology, fine arts and more. Although the Sultanate of Ternate collapsed in the mid- 17th century, the effects of its rule are still felt today. Ternate has contributed greatly to the culture, customs and religion of the eastern islands of the archipelago, namely Sulawesi and Maluku. It also played a major role in the Islamization of the eastern and southern parts of the Philippines.

The museum exhibits many valuable relics such as the golden throne of the Ternate Sultan. Also found on display are jewelry, precious stones, and crowns of gold adorned with diamonds, emeralds and rubies. The oldest hand-written Alquran in Indonesia is also among the artifacts to be discovered. Among the collection of European relics, the museum also boasts a unique and sacred crown; the only one of its type in Indonesia and even the world. This is because the crown contains live and growing human hair. Every year, at Eid-ul-Adha, a ceremony is held for the cutting of the hair. The crown and hair is said to have lived for 500 years, since the ruling of the first Sultan. Ternate’s indigenous people call the crown in the local language, Stampa.

Get There
The best route is through the Baabullah Airport in Ternate. This domestic airport serves Jakarta, Bali, Makassar, Manado, Surabaya and several other smaller cities. The museum and city center are located just 3.5 km from the airport.