On Thursday, May 7, Dutch author Anne-Gine Goemans will present a lecture at the Holland Museum entitled "The First Dutch Bulb Travelers: From Holland to America."

The lecture will offer a fascinating look into the Dutch tulip bulb industry, including the history of the first Dutch bulb traders who traveled to America to build an international flower trade. Goemans draws on her personal experience growing up in the oldest bulb-growing region of the Netherlands, and her award-winning novel inspired by this history, Ziekzoekers (which translates roughly to "bulb disease inspectors"). She will also offer a glimpse into the research for her upcoming novel, which is set partly in Holland, Michigan. 

Since the novel that inspired this lecture, Goemans has written several more critically acclaimed books, including Wondermond, Mr. G. Refuses Care, Honolulu King, and Gliding Flight, which was widely translated and won several international awards. 

The lecture, sponsored by Hope College's Van Raalte Institute, the Holland Museum, Nelis' Dutch Village, Tulip Time, and Windmill Island Gardens, is free and open to the public. Space is limited; attendees may register online via the museum's website.