A Cultural Space Rooted in Glodok
MET is an independent cultural space rooted in Glodok—Jakarta’s oldest Chinatown, dedicated to exploring and sharing the layered histories of the neighborhood and its Chinese-Indonesian heritage. Through immersive, community-rooted programs including heritage tours, talks, workshops, and exhibitions, we engages with Glodok as a living archive shaped by migration, trade, and everyday life.
Founded in 2024 by fourth-generation Glodok local and multidisciplinary artist Metta Setiandi, the space grew from her deep personal connection to the area. Alongside its cultural programs, a weekend café welcomes neighbors and visitors to experience the neighborhood at a slower pace.
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Why Glodok matters today?
Glodok is Indonesia's oldest Chinatown and a living archive of Chinese-Indonesian culture –shaped by generations who have called it home.
Today known as Jakarta’s historic Chinatown, the neighbourhood of Glodok was established by the Dutch colonial government following the 1740 Batavia Massacre as Chineesche Kamp, a segregated settlement for the Chinese community.
To this day, it remains central to Indonesia’s urban and cultural history, carrying stories of trade, migration, resilience, and community life that continue to evolve across generations.
Amid the rapid urban transformation unfolding across the neighbourhood, MET Glodok approaches Glodok not merely as a historic district, but as a living cultural landscape where memory, migration, and everyday life intersect. Through research, cultural programs, heritage tours, and hospitality, MET engages with the layered histories of Jakarta’s Chinatown and the evolving narratives of Chinese-Indonesian identity, ensuring these stories remain visible, relevant, and collectively remembered.
Still images by Utomo Films for MET Glodok second documentary, titled Remembrance (2026)
What We Do
Our work stems from a deep curiosity about Glodok: its vast history and lived realities that continue to shape the neighbourhood today. We explore its past and present through historical and community research, oral history recordings, archival preservation, and continuous engagement with its inhabitants.
We translate these findings into immersive, community-rooted programs. Each program is designed to foster deeper understanding through direct encounter—encouraging participants to engage with the neighbourhood beyond the surface and to recognize the connections between place, memory, and community.
01
Curated heritage walking tours through Glodok and its surrounding areas
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Talks highlighting cultural practices, collective memories,
and community voices
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Artist-led workshops
and place-based
creative programs
What We Believe In
How We Do It
Our approach is place-based, research-driven, and culturally sensitive.
By remaining rooted in Glodok and engaging with the neighbourhood daily,
we seek to understand its layered history, its evolving culture, the stories and people that continue to shape it, and the ways all those things intersect.
Walking and wandering through the neighbourhood is central to our practice. Glodok is best experienced on foot, through careful observation and deep immersion. We draw from personal memories, local insights, and community knowledge, ensuring that heritage is approached with nuance, care, and respect.
Therefore, our programs move through a cycle: exploration, learning, reflection, and creative response—positioning heritage as a living entity rather than a displayed object. As Glodok evolves and our research deepens, so does our work, reflecting the neighbourhood’s dynamic nature.
MET Glodok second documentary trailer, titled Remembrance (2026) by Utomo Films.
Plan Your Visit & Programs With Us
We offer bespoke cultural programs and guided heritage experiences tailored to individuals, institutions, and organizations seeking deeper engagement with Glodok through creative approaches.
Whether you wish to explore the neighbourhood through a private walking tour or other immersive cultural experiences, we can craft a program aligned with your interests, learning objectives, and group dynamics.
Plan your visit and programs with us.
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