He described the strongman as an independence hero and “father of development,” who safely navigated his country through the tumult of the Cold War.

On a recent visit, schoolchildren gazed at the foundations of the home where Suharto was born in 1921, and the well where he hauled water as a youngster. Visitors posed for photos next to a sculpture of the “great general,” while a music system blared New Order anthems, including the song “Suharto Is Our Father.”

Across the street, small shops sold cold drinks and souvenir T-shirts featuring Suharto smiling, above these words: “How are you doing, bro? It was better in my time, right?”

The Indonesian dictator, who died in 2008, is still largely revered in this quiet town of dusty back streets and shaded Javanese cemeteries. Locals spoke of the economic development brought by the New Order and the gifts bestowed on the area by the Suharto clan.

Biyono, 82, who runs a small shop near the museum selling cold drinks and Suharto T-shirts, said the New Order introduced electricity and paved roads to the area and took a harsh stance on crime.

“If there was a criminal then, Suharto ordered them to be shot directly,” he said.

The New Order did notch some significant achievements. Suharto oversaw an economic boom, drastically reducing poverty and expanding access to health care and education. In 1984, Indonesia achieved self-sufficiency in rice production — a milestone that is celebrated at the museum.