400 years of telescopes

until sunday february 01 2009
Zeeuws Museum
Abdij (The Abbey)
T : +31 (0) 118 65 30 00
Middelburg PO Box 378
4330 AJ Middleburg
The Netherlands

info@zeeuwsmuseum.nl
www.zeeuwsmuseum.nl

www.inventionofthetelescope.eu

October 2008 will mark precisely four centuries since the invention of the telescope. The fact that this ground-breaking invention took place right here in Middelburg inspired the Zeeuws Museum to mount an exhibition of rare telescopes from the world-famous collection of Peter Louwman.

In the early 17th century Middelburg was a tremendously wealthy town. Art and fine craftsmanship were in great demand and numerous silversmiths, painters and even lens grinders were active there. Two local lens grinders, Zacharias Janssen and Johannes Lipperhey, developed - independently of each other – what was described as 'een seecker instrument waarmede men verre kan sien' (a certain instrument with which one can see far). Reports of the invention of the first telescope spread throughout Europe like wildfire. In 1608Prince Maurits invited Hans Lipperhey to The Hague to demonstrate his telescope. They climbed a tower and to their great delight were able to see the windows of St. Peter’s Church in Leiden and the clock of the Old Church in Delft with the new instrument.