***11 September 2026 **
Henry Timisela is stepping down as director of Museum Maluku on 1 January 2027. After leading the museum for almost seven years, he is choosing a new phase in his career.
Timisela: "I have always been connected to the Moluccan community. I come from it, and I have known this museum since I was young. I am glad that in almost seven years as director I have been able to make my contribution: the collection was given a place again, there were two commemorative years, and a foundation was laid for digitisation. The latest exhibition, In Eigen Woorden, is exemplary of the way my team and I have worked with the Moluccan communities all these years. By giving them a platform or a place to tell their own story, rather than determining that story for them. And this, incidentally, with support from our partners at Sophiahof and from our funders, in particular the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport."
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Henry Timisela began as director of Museum Maluku in March 2020. During this period the collection was re-registered, a digitisation plan was set up and the commemorative years Beta Disini (2021) and In Eigen Woorden (2026) were realised. During his directorship a great many new projects, exhibitions and public programmes were carried out together with Moluccan makers, Moluccan cultural organisations and museums and heritage institutions such as Sophiahof, the Indisch Herinneringscentrum, the KB national library, Totaal Moluks, the Drents Museum, Nationaal Monument Kamp Vught, the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision, the Wereldmuseum and Fenix. And in the Moluccas with Museum Siwa Lima, Bahasa Basudara and Pattimura University, among others.
Appreciation
The board of Museum Maluku is deeply grateful to Timisela for his work. Chair of the board Sharon Sourbag: "With his knowledge, energy and commitment, Henry and his team have made Museum Maluku more contemporary. Young makers found their way to us, new stories were given a platform and old stories a new look. As a result the museum has really been in the spotlight in recent years, both within and outside the community. We have great appreciation and gratitude for Henry's work, his creative and innovative ideas and his enormous dedication. Over the coming months we will work together towards a good conclusion and then wish him all the best for the next step in his career. A successor can then build with the team on all the fine things achieved in recent years and take the museum further."
