The Indonesian Culinary Museum Foundation on 1 March announced that it collaborated with Indonesian AR company WIR group to build the metaverse of the museum. 

This project is an effort done by both the museum and WIR Group in preserving the richness of Indonesian culinary specialties through technology. The virtual museum will present information about Indonesian culinary specialties and it is packaged in an attractive and interactive three-dimensional display. 

Founded by seven culinary enthusiasts, namely Santhi Serad, Arimbi Nimpuno, Primo Rizky, Gupta Sitorus, Janoe Arianto, Tria Nuragustina and Kevindra Soemantri, the Indonesian Food Museum is considered as the first culinary museum foundation in Southeast Asia. It aims to archive Indonesia's culinary riches, ranging from recipes and cooking techniques to raw materials and spices. 

“With the aim of being a preservation tool and also educating the public, the Indonesian Food Museum will be presented with a contemporary approach. Our vision is to preserve Indonesian culture,” said the museum chair Santhi Serad. 

Once the metaverse version of the museum is developed, the Indonesian Food Museum will be available in a virtual 3D space and it will become part of the Indonesian Metaverse which will be launched as part of Indonesia's presidency at the G20 Summit in November. 

“People can visit the Indonesian Culinary Museum without having to come physically, without being hindered by time and place. People from Sabang to Merauke can enjoy this experience while learning about Indonesian culinary culture. It is also hoped that this digitalisation will increase the younger generation’s interests to learn more about and preserve Indonesian cuisine,” said CEO and co-founder of WIR Group Michael Budi. 

WIR Group is one of the pioneers of augmented reality companies in Southeast Asia that has built solutions for dozens of foreign industries by combining immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. 

It was founded by Daniel Surya, Michael Budi, Philip Cahyono and Jeffrey Budiman back in 2009. WIR Group aims to incorporate the elements of local wisdom of Indonesian culture and its biggest innovation is the Metaverse Indonesia project. WIR Group has completed thousands of projects and served more than 20 countries, including the USA, Germany, the Philippines and Myanmar.