Viewing exciting objects for the Redbad exhibition

In the exhistion at the Küstenmuseum, Diana Spiekhout from the Fries Museum Leeuwarden identified numerous interesting objects (photo: A. Wittkowski, NIhK).

During her visit to the NIhK's collection storage facility, grave goods from the Dunum cemetry were presented to Diana Spiekhout (photo: A. Wittkowski, NIhK).

In September 2026, a special exhibition will open at the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, dedicated to the life and times of the Frisian king Redbad or Radbod (c. 670–719 AD). The exhibition, as well as the preparatory work, is funded by the Interreg VI A Programme Germany–Netherlands and supported by numerous institutions as part of a research project. Archaeologist Diana Spiekhout is responsible for the scientific concept and is currently preparing the selection of objects to be presented. That is why she also visited the NIhK to find out about particularly interesting finds from the institute's excavations, e.g. in the Dunum graveyard or the Hessens dwelling mound settlement. Some of these objects were made available to her by Christina Peek in the NIhK's storage facility and restoration workshop. However, numerous finds are currently on display at the Wilhelmshaven Küstenmuseum and could be viewed there. The selection that has now been made is expected to make the journey from Wilhelmshaven to Leuwarden in the summer of 2026, where it will be on display in the Redbad exhibition from September onwards.