© Koninklijk Eise Eisinga Planetarium
Category:Friesland

Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium

Along a beautiful canal in the city of Franeker, stands the 18th-century home of wool comber Eise Eisinga. The living room is home to one of the greatest treasures in world history: the oldest still-working planetarium in the world.

  • Visit the world’s oldest planetarium that still works.
  • It was built by Eise Eisinga between 1774 and 1781.
  • A fun and educational outing for the entire family!
Address:
Eise Eisingastraat 3
8801KE Franeker
Visit the website Show place on Google Maps

The End of the World

In 1774, Eelco Alta, a Frisian minister, cause a wave of panic to go through the Netherlands. He predicted that, on May 8 of that year, a number of planets would come so closely together that the earth would escape from its orbit and would be burned by the sun. Eise Eisinga had mastered mathematics and astronomy in addition to combing wool. To reassure the Frisian people and to prove Alta was wrong, Eisinga decided to build a planetarium in his living room.

Marvelous Ceiling

Visit Eisinga's life work on the ceiling of his living room. See how the planets and the sun make their actual orbit through an ingenious system of clocks and gears. Just like in the solar system, Saturn takes thirty years to orbit the Sun on the ceiling in Franeker.

More for children in Friesland

Friesland is a fantastic place for children. The landscape and water alone make you feel like you are really on a holiday. Visit Natuurmuseum Friesland or go hiking through one of the countless nature reserves.

Did you find this interesting? Discover more

Mauritshuis, Den Haag

Museums

The Netherlands boasts the largest number of museums per square kilometre in the world!

Read more