The museum is dedicated especially to the display of traditional fine art and ceramics of Indonesia.

The building of the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum was completed on January 12, 1870, and was used as the Court of Justice (Dutch: de Raad van Justitie).

During the Japanese occupation, the building was used by KNIL and later after the independence of Indonesia, was used as the Indonesian military dormitory and as the logistic warehouse.

The building was officially inaugurated as the Fine Art and Ceramic museum by president Soeharto on August 20, 1976.

There are also ceramic collections from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Europe.