Farmer and Fortress
Experience medieval times
The Battle of Vlaardingen took place a thousand years ago in Vlaardingen, or Flardinga as it was called back in the day. The fight between count Dirk the third and emperor Hendricks army is looked upon as the commencement of Holland, and therefore the origin of the Netherlands as it exists today. The municipality of Vlaardingen organizes all kinds of activities in 2018 to celebrate the battle’s 1000 year anniversary.
Everyday life in Flardinga in 1018 is showcased in the family exhibition Farmer and Fortress in Museum Vlaardingen. What kind of food did the people of Flardinga eat? What kind of houses did they live in? What jobs did they do? How did they entertain themselves and eachother when they weren’t working?
CLIENT
MUSEUM VLAARDINGEN
Term: 6 April – 18 November 2018
Location: Museum Vlaardingen, Vlaardingen
Photography: Mike Bink
“Synergique is perfectly able to take a concept and turn it into a very appealing product. They maintain their eye for detail and high quality standards, at the same time not losing track of the big picture.”
Alex Poldervaart – Curator Museum Vlaardingen
A short animation film with voice-over introduces life in Flardinga in 1018 at the start of the exhibition. Clear white lines and characters stand out from the light wooden projection backdrop.
A booklet was made for the visitors featuring a selection of quests. One of the quests is to dress up as a person of nobility or as a farmers’ child before entering the rest of the exhibition. Live life like a citizen of Flardinga in 1018.
The do-tables are the starting point for a number of the quests in the booklet. On them you can mint your own coin, learn how to cultivate farmland, design your own coat of arms or write your name in beautiful calligraphy like monks did in the Middle Ages.
Dirk the Third had a fortress that protected the city of Flardinga against emperor Hendricks army in the year 1018, but noone knows today what the fortress looked like. You can build your own vision of the fortress in the exhibition using cardboard building blocks.
