The collection of the Fries Museum consists of 1 million objects and is dedicated to arts, crafts, and history from the years 1200 to 2000.

The most iconic objects in the museum are the Hindelooper Room, the Popta Treasure (Frisian silverware) and the legendary sword of Grote Pier.

[4] The Mata Hari hall is dedicated to the life of the dancer and spy, who was born in 1876 in Leeuwarden as Margaretha Zelle.

The museum has the largest collection of works by the local late 16th century portrait painter Adriaen van Cronenburg.

The collection contains paintings by notable painters such as Wigerus Vitringa, Wybrand de Geest, Eelke Jelles Eelkema, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Gerrit Benner and Jan Mankes.