This past Saturday was unusually sunny and not too cold, so Dan and I made the most of the nice weather by visiting the open-air museum Zaanse Schans.
Within a few hours, we toured the inside of one of the operating windmills in the area, stopped by the Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm for some free cheese samples, watched a clog-making demonstration at the Wooden Shoe Factory, walked through a grocery store from the 1800s, and visited both the Zandaam Time Museum and the Zaans Museum.
For me, the best part was simply walking around the grassy meadow, admiring the massive windmills and old green-painted homes built in the regional “Zaan” style. I had heard great things about the Zaanse Schans but was still pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the area was, especially with the pale blue skies and some yellow leaves still clinging to the trees.
Day Trip to Zaanse Schans
The Zaanse Schans is a very popular destination with day trippers traveling from Amsterdam.
There are three primary ways to reach Zaanse Schans from the capital city: train + walk, bus, or bike. Since temperatures were a little on the chilly side, we opted to take the bus, which takes around 50 minutes from Amsterdam’s Central Station. The train is an efficient option as well, however the nearest train station, Zaandijk Zaanse Schans, is a 15-20 minute walk from the museum. I would suggest simply using Google Maps to route from your starting point to the museum to see which is the best option for you.
For those looking to burn a few calories, Zaanse Schans is one of the more popular day trip options for cyclists. From Amsterdam Central, you’ll bike about 20 km (12 mi) north-west of the city, which should take you around an hour.
Don’t miss my post: Best Day Trips from Amsterdam!
The Highlights
The Zaanse Schans’s windmills, historic wooden homes, farms, and factories paint a picture of what life was like in this area during its heyday.
The area certainly feels like an open-air museum recreating 18th-century Holland, but it’s actually a residential area that’s open to the public — many people actually live here year-round, in fact. Admission into the area and to many of its attractions is free, but some of the individual attractions (such as the iconic windmills) will require that you pay a small entry fee. All of the structures here are privately-owned, so your money is put to use by the owners to maintain the property and keep its doors open to the public.
The ones that are free are typically trying to sell you something. The Museum Shop Albert Heijn is essentially an advertisement for the grocery brand, and the Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm and Wooden Shoe Factory are both hoping you’ll buy some of their product after watching free demonstrations.
In addition to the windmills and factories, there are two proper museums in the area. By far the smallest of the two is the Zandaam Time Museum (aka the Museum of the Dutch Clock), which displays dozens of antique clocks and pocket watches that were made in the region. Near the parking lot and main entrance is the large and modern Zaans Museum, a museum dedicated to the region that gives a great overview of the manufacturing history of the area and how the landscape and industry have changed over the past 300 years.
If you’re spending a full day here, you may be looking for a place to grab a bite. Luckily there are a few restaurants and other places for snacks — I’ve outlined your options on where to eat at the end of this post!
Visiting Zaanse Schans in the Fall
Now that peak tourist season is over, I was worried that many of the individual attractions would be closed. Luckily nearly everything was still open, and thanks to it being off-season there were very few visitors. I’ve heard other times of year the area can be swamped with tourists (the sort that bring along selfie sticks), so if crowds aren’t you thing, visiting in the fall or winter may even be preferable to the spring or summer.
Windmills
At its peak, there were over 650 windmills in the Zaan region. Today there are only eight, many of which are open to anyone curious about their inner-workings.
The windmills have been used for a variety of purposes. The one we toured, De Kat Windmill, is used to create paint pigments and dates back to 1664. Another windmill, De Gekroonde Poelenburg, harnesses the wind’s power to saw wood. De Huisman sits above a spice warehouse and De Zoeker windmill has served a variety of purposes over its lifespan, including producing oil, paint, and cocoa.
TO VISIT: All of the windmills are €4.50 per person to visit and are typically open from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Some are closed in the off-season and the hours may differ depending on the time of year or the windmill. For more information, check the Zaanse Schans website.
Museum Shop Albert Heijn
The Dutch grocery store giant Albert Heijn was started right here in the Zaans when a young Albert took over the family grocery store in 1887. It’s first store, a small, two-room building built in the Zaans style, is now a museum filled with products from the same era. It’s essentially one big advertising opportunity for the grocery brand, but it’s still a fun way to feel transported back to a simpler time.
TO VISIT: The Museum Shop Albert Heijn is open daily 10:00am to 4:30pm. Admission is free.
Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm
The Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm does daily cheese-making demonstrations by staff dressed in traditional costume and offers self-guided tours of their barn where you can learn the history of the Henri Willig brand.
Their large shop sells Henri Willig cheese, including Gouda, goat, and an assortment of herbal cheeses. The lavender goat cheese was Dan’s favorite, but mine was the truffle gouda. There are lots of free samples available around the store so you can try it before you buy it. If you’re not wanting to commit to a full wheel of cheese, you can also pick up some cheesy snacks (tosti’s and the like) near the rear of the shop.
TO VISIT: From March to October, the Cheese Farm is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm; from November to February it’s open daily from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Admission is free.
Wooden Shoe Workshop
The Wooden Shoe Workshop was the first company to set up shop in the Zaanse Schans. It’s been a family-owned and operated business for four decades now; it’s mission is to preserve the Dutch tradition of clog-making.
Near the entrance of the Workshop is a collection of clogs and informational video about the history and use of wooden shoes in the Netherlands, but the highlight is the demonstration that shows how clogs are made today. The second half of the workshop is dedicated to their extensive gift shop, selling wooden shoes in all sizes and colors.
TO VISIT: From March to October, the Wooden Shoe Workshop is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm; from November to February it’s open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Admission is free.
Zandaam Time Museum / Museum of the Dutch Clock
The small, three-room museum houses dozens of delicate, ornate clocks of varying sizes, some of which were made right here in the Zaans. There’s also a nice display of pocket watches and one particularly beautiful clock with small ships rocking back and forth to the sound of the clock’s tic-toc.
TO VISIT: From April 1 to October 31, the Zandaam Time Museum is open Monday to Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm; from November 1 to March 31 it’s open only on Sundays from 10:00 to 5:00pm. The museum is closed on Christmas Day and New Year Day. Admission is €10 for adults and €7 for students and children ages 12 to 17. Admission is free for Museumkaart; reduced admission for I Amsterdam Card or Holland Pass holders. Click here to read more about museum passes in the Netherlands.
Zaans Museum
At the parking lot and main entrance to the Zaanse Schans is the large, modern building of the Zaans Museum. Before visiting, I knew very little about the historical significance of this part of the Netherlands. The region has long been a center for manufacturing. In the 1700s, the economy was booming and over 650 windmills dotted the landscape. Then in the late 1800s/early 1900s, the area experienced another economic surge, this time with gas and electric-driven machines leading the charge.
The biggest industries and most well-known products are all explained in the Zaans Museum’s fun and interactive exhibits. Our favorite was the I Love Lucy style game where you have to see how many chocolates you can put into boxes while working on a “digital” assembly line.
TO VISIT: From April 1 to October 1, the Zaans Museum is open daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm; from October 1 to April 1 it’s open from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The Museum is closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Admission is €10 for adults and €6 for children ages 4 to 17. Admission is free for Museumkaart and I Amsterdam Card holders. Click here to read more about museum passes in the Netherlands.
Other Attractions
Not everything was open on the day that we visited. In addition to the places listed above, you can also visit a the Weavers House, the Cooperage, the Jisper House, and the Bakery Museum.
There’s also a 45-minute boat cruise that will take you down the canals, through the Zaanse Schanse and its nearby town.
Restaurants
You have two options for eating at Zaanse Schans: the self-service pancake restaurant Pannenkoeken Restaurant de Kraai or the more upscale restaurant De Hoop op d’Swarte Walvis (The Hope of the Black Whale).
Some of the attractions also sell small bites and snacks, such as tosti at the Henri Willig cheese shop and chocolate at Zaans Done CacaoLab. The Zaanse Museum also has a small cafe selling sandwiches, pies, and an assortment of beverages.
Recommended Reading:
It has an excellent section on Day Trips and includes a good overview of the Zaanse Schans and its many museums and attractions. It also includes information on nearby Almaar, which is considered to be the Cheese Capital of Holland and is easily combined with a trip to Zaanse Schans.
Click here to purchase Rick Steves Amsterdam & the Netherlands travel guide.
