Abstract.The electric dipole response of neutron-rich nuclei is discussed from an experimental perspective using selected examples. After introducing the main experimental method, which is relativistic Coulomb excitation in conjunction with invariant-mass spectroscopy, the response of neutron-rich nuclei is discussed separately for light halo nuclei and heavier neutron-rich nuclei. Finally, the perspective for constraining the equation of state of neutron-rich matter close to saturation density from measurements of the dipole response of neutron-rich nuclei is discussed.