College: Eise Eisinga

Three lectures on: 31 March, 7 & 14 April 2026, 7:30 - 8:30 pm
Cultural visit: Planetarium Franeker - Tuesday afternoon 21 April 2026 (exact time to follow)
Where: Tresoar, Leeuwarden
Speaker: Arjen Dijkstra

In 2023, the Eise Eisinga Planetarium was granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The application to get that designation had been worked on for almost 20 years. During the same period, the number of visitors grew from around 50,000 a year, to around 100,000. Needless to say, Franeker has a world treasure on its hands.  

Who was Eise Eisinga? And why is the Planetarium in Franeker? What makes this clockwork so special? And are there other planetariums to be found around the world?  

In this lecture series, we explore the Planetarium's creator, building, clockwork and history. Biographer Arjen Dijkstra is the guide through the life of Eise Eisinga and his artwork. In 2021, he published The Builder of Heavens, which appeared in 2025 in English as Builder of Heavens.  

College I: Tuesday evening 31 March 2026- 19:30 to 20:30 at Tresoar. 

Franeker, science and astronomy  

In this first lecture, we will explore the backgrounds to the Planetarium and find out how they are closely intertwined with the history of Franeker, of Friesland and of the Netherlands. Using a number of evocative examples, Eise Eisinga is given the context he deserves.  

College II: Tuesday evening 7 April 2026, 19:30 to 20:30 at Tresoar. 

Who was Eise Eisinga?  

Who was Eisinga? What do we know about his family? And about his woolcombing business, his education and why did he build the Planetarium? Not many sources about Eisinga have survived, but with what we know, he can be placed well in his time.  

College III: Tuesday evening 14 April 2026, 19:30 to 20:30 at Tresoar. 

What is a Planetarium? 

A planetarium is a representation of the solar system, in which earth and planets can move. When Eise EIsinga finished his Planetarium, it was the largest, most beautiful and complex planetarium ever made. It took more than a century for something like it to be made again. But the Franeker Planetarium was not the first and there are also older examples that have been preserved (in part). In this third lecture, the Planetarium is given a place among other depictions of the sun, moon and planets.  

College IV:  

Visit to the Planetarium in Franeker.

About the speaker

Arjen Dijkstra is director of Tresoar in Leeuwarden and former director of the University Museum Groningen. Among other things, he specialises in the history of science, he published the biography "De Hemelbouwer" about Eise Eisinga in 2021.

When does it take place:

Every week

Tuesday, 19:30-20:30

31 March 2026 - 14 April 2026

Costs:

Yes, 45

Sign up:

Using the form below

Other: You can register via our website: https://generatiehuis.nl/college/eise-eisinga/