Exhibition: The Origins of Holland

12/06/2026

Exhibition The Origins of Holland
22 December 2018 – 31 March 2019

From 22 December 2018 to 31 March 2019, Museumpark Archeon presented the exhibition The Origins of Holland in the Roman Bathhouse. The exhibition took visitors back to the early history of the County of Holland, where the foundations were laid for the region we now know as North and South Holland.

At the heart of the exhibition was the story of the House of Holland, the first dynasty of counts to rule the region. Through the figures of founding ancestor Gerulf and Count Floris V, visitors discovered how Holland developed over the course of several centuries from a relatively turbulent border region in the Early Middle Ages into an increasingly important and wealthy county.

Visitors were introduced to life from the ninth to the thirteenth century: a period of Vikings, emerging power structures, religious influence and expanding trade. Through archaeological finds, replicas and stories, the exhibition showed how people lived, worked and shaped their beliefs during this era.

A special highlight of the exhibition was the Overschie Chair, a twelfth-century archaeological find that created a tangible connection with the world of the counts of Holland. The exhibition also highlighted the contrast between the beginning and the end of the House of Holland, emphasising the long development of the county.

The Origins of Holland offered a broad and vivid view of the roots of Dutch history and demonstrated how the past continues to influence the Netherlands today.

This exhibition was on display from 22 December 2018 to 31 March 2019.