[1][2] Its focus is the author Multatuli (Eduard Douwes Dekker), who lived in the area in the 1850s and used it as the basis for his famous anti-colonial novel Max Havelaar.

Discussions about opening a Multatuli Museum in Rangkasbitung began in the 2010s, with the support of Bonnie Triyana, a historian with roots in the area, as well as teacher Ubaidilah Muchtar, architect Bambang Eryudhawan, and Tempo journalist Kurie Suditomo.

[4][5][6] Multatuli, whose real name was Edward Douwes Dekker, was a Dutch colonial official who was Assistant Resident in Lebak for a brief period in 1856 before he clashed with his superiors and returned to Europe.

The museum was opened in February 2018; it is operated by Lebak Regency, the local district-level government.

[4][2][8] It is located in a 1923 building off Rangkasbitung Square that had originally been the office of the Wedana (a type of colonial official).