Fries Museum

The Fries Museum is housed in the first completely new museum building in the Netherlands, built in the 21st century. The museum itself has existed since the beginning of the 19th century and is the main Frisian museum facility. One of the most visited exhibitions was devoted to Margaret Geertruida McLeod, nee Zelle - known worldwide as Mata Hari.

The museum's narrative is focused on presenting the social, artistic and technical achievements of 11 cities in Friesland. This is a story about love and hatred for water, which is an integral part of life throughout the Netherlands, especially Friesland. The museum's collections include collections of silver Frisian cutlery from the 17th and 18th centuries and works of painters born in Leeuwarden - 19th-century Lawrence Alma-Tademy or Gerrit Benner.

The museum shows the history of Friesland through the presentation of artifacts, but also the fate of famous characters. One of them is Mata Hari born in Leeuwarden (1876-1917). The famous exotic dancer, courtesan and scandalist was a sex symbol of her era. She ended her life before a firing squad - she was sentenced to death for alleged espionage for Germany.