Located on the west side of Merdeka square, the National Museum is probably the best museum in Indonesia, if not South-east Asia. Established in 1778 by U.M.C. Rademacher under the auspices of the Batavia Association of Arts and Sciences, it offers historical, Pre historical, archaeological and ethnographic aspects of Indonesia through its extensive collection of artifacts and relics which date as far back as to the Stone Age. It has one of the most complete collections of bronzes and ceramics dating back to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties.

The Museum has one of the finest numismatic collections in the world. The religious art section is filled with statuary and sculpture salvaged from sites of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic edifices. Its collection of cultural instruments, household utensils, arts and crafts provide ml introduction to the life of the various ethnic groups which populate Indonesia. This museum is popularly known as Gedung Gajah or "Elephant building" because of the stone elephant offered by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand placed on the front, lawn of the building.