Holland is well known for its picturesque windmills dotting the countryside. These windmills have long played an integral role in the economy, producing anything from cut lumber and paint pigments to flour and spices. A visit to historic Zaanse Schans is a great way to learn more about the windmills and workshops, see some of Holland’s beautiful countryside, and explore the picturesque town.
There is quite a bit to see here and it’s easy to reach from Amsterdam, making this a great day trip! Read on for some details on planning a visit.
Getting to Zaanse Schans
Public Transport
Zaanse Schans is easily accessible by public transport from Amsterdam.
There are frequent trains connecting Amsterdam Centraal to the Zaanse Schans Zaandijk station daily. Check routes and timetables here. You can buy tickets online or show up to the station and purchase them there. During peak season, you may consider buying your ticket in advance if on a tight schedule. It is only about a 20-minute ride to the Zaandijk station.
We arrived in Amsterdam from Rotterdam early in the morning, dropped our bags at the hotel, then went back to the central station to buy our ticket and catch the train to Zaandam. Once at the Zaandijk station in Zaandam, it is about a 15-minute walk to the Zaanse Schans neighborhood.
Alternatively, you can take bus 391 from Amsterdam Noorderpark. The buses are a bit less frequent and take 40 minutes for only slightly less cost. However, they do drop you at Zaanse Schans as opposed to Zaandam. For more info on bus lines, check out the map or transport website.
Car
If you are driving a rental car or your own vehicle, there is parking just by the information center. It costs €15 Euros to park there. Alternatively, you may be able to find some street parking in Zaandam.
Tour
If you’re part of an organized tour, they will generally arrange the transport to and from Zaanse Schans for you.
Zaanse Schans Tickets & Hours
Visitors can walk around the Zaanse Schans area anytime for free, but the various workshops, mills, museums, and other attractions have certain operating hours and may require a ticket.
The Zaanse Schans Information Center and ticketing is open daily from 9a.m. until 5p.m. There are over 30 attractions and eateries that are part of the Zaanse Schans complex, some of which have varying hours. Most are generally open from 9a.m. to 5p.m. Before the day of your visit, check the official website to see what’s open and when.
Zaanse Schans Card: €29.50 per adult
If you’re planning to spend the day at Zaanse Schans, it’s worth considering the Zaanse Schans Card. You get access to the Zaans Museum, Chocolate and Biscuit Factory, World of Windmills museum, Weaver’s House, Coopery, the Museum Zannse Tijd, and two windmills of your choice. Parking is also discounted with this card.
Zaanse Museum: €14.50 per adult
This is the main museum at Zaanse Schans. The ticket includes an audio guide. Learn more about the museum below.
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You can buy Zaanse Schans tickets online in advance or upon arrival with card. Some of the various workshops and windmills only sell tickets onsite for between €3 and €11 per adult.
We’d recommend booking online in advance when possible to avoid lines and secure your time slot. Keep your ticket on you because it will be checked at the entrance to the various attractions.
Amsterdam Passes
There are various city passes that offer free or discounted access to attractions in Amsterdam. The I Amsterdam Card, Museum Card, and Rembrandtkaart offer free entry to the Zaans Museum with an audio guide. Some passes also offer free entry to the Coopery, Weavers House, and other attractions.
No need to book a time slot online. Simply arrive at the information center and present your pass. If you want to access the other paid attractions, you can buy those tickets separately.
The Amsterdam GoCity Pass includes a couple guided tour options to Zaanse Schans or a Zaanse Schans Card. The available options depend on your pass. Learn more here. We had the GoCity Pass and enjoyed exploring the spots offered with the included Zaanse Schans Card.
Regulations & Extra Visiting Notes
Food or drink are not permitted in the Zaanse Schans museums. Any bag larger than A4 size, jackets, umbrellas, and other large items are also not permitted in the museum spaces. There are storage lockers at the information center, but these cannot fit large luggage.
One important thing to note is that, in some of the windmills, you’ll have to climb up a steep and narrow ladder if you want to reach the upper decks. These areas many not be accessible to those with mobility issues.
Some of the windmills visitors can enter are still operating. In these mills, there are various moving and working parts, like blades and stone rollers, so use a little extra caution while walking about and watch your kids closely if you bring them.
Last, but not least, Zaanse Schans and the Zaandam area may be a popular tourist destination, but there are many people who live and work here. Please respect people’s property as you explore.
Exploring Zaanse Schans
We arrived at Zaanse Schans before the mills and museums opened to be able to stroll among the quaint green houses and take in the views along the river before the crowds arrived.
Then, we headed over to the Information Center, where the Zaans Museum is also located. We picked up our Zaanse Schans Card included in our GoCity pass and began our adventure here.
Museums
Zaans Museum
Ticket Required: Yes – see ticket section above
The Information Center and Zaans Museum are a good spot to start because you can pick up a brochure/map, ask any questions, drop any belongings at the lockers, and learn a lot about the area by walking through the exhibits.
The Zaans Museum covers the history of the region, touching on the various industries operating here and how the area changed over time. The exhibits also include the Chocolate and Biscuit Factory where visitors can learn about the brands and process of making these products as they walk through a part of the old factory with some of the machinery.
Bakery Museum (Bakkerijmuseum)
Ticket Required: No
This little museum is held in a bakery that dates back to the mid-1600s. There, you can check out some of the old baking equipment and buy some traditional pastries to taste if desired.
Shop Museum (Museumwinkel Albert Heijn)
Ticket Required: No
The Albert Heijn Shop Museum is the original supermarket that has evolved into the popular chain that exists today. Here, you can see get some insight into the shopping experience of Zaanse Schans inhabitants through some of the original inventory and shop layout.
Clock and Watch Museum (Museum Zaanse Tijd)
Ticket Required: Yes – can be purchased onsite for €11 per adult. Included in the Zaanse Schans Card and some passes.
The clock and watch museum holds many time pieces, some of which are very old. If you’re there on the hour, you can hear them all chiming! Exhibits cover the development of clocks, bells, and the Zaanse influence on the timekeeping industry.
Paper Manufacturer Museum (Museum Honig Breethuis)
Ticket Required: Yes – can be purchased onsite for €7.50 per adult
Honig Breethuis sits across the river from the main Zaanse Schans area. This is the old Honig family home where you’ll find well-preserved rooms with various furnishings and household items on display. The former residents worked in the paper manufacturing industry that thrived here at the time.
This museum has different operations than much of the rest of the Zaanse Schans complex, so find hours, prices, and other information here.
Windmill Museum (De Zaansche Molen)
Ticket Required: Yes – can be purchased onsite for €11 per adult. Included in the Zaanse Schans Card and some passes.
The Windmill Museum is another good spot to visit for an informational dive into the various windmills, trade, development of the area, and society in the Zaanse Schans area throughout time.
Windmills
While there were once several hundred windmills operating in the Zaanse Schans area, only a handful are left. Going inside some of the mills is an interesting way to get a peek at the industries they contributed to and see how they work to produce various goods.
Spice Mill (Specerijenmolen)
Ticket Required: The shop is free, the mill requires a ticket. One can be purchased onsite for €6. Included in some passes and the Zaanse Schans Card if you choose as one of your two windmill visits.
This mill and spice warehouse are where various spices are ground and sold. The windmill has been around since the 1780s.
Saw Mills (Houtzaagmolen)
Ticket Required: Yes – one can be purchased onsite for €6. Included in some passes and the Zaanse Schans Card if you choose as one of your two windmill visits. Not required for De Gekroonde Poelenburg as this one isn’t accessible to the public.
There are three saw mills here – De Gekroonde Poelenburg, Het Jonge Schaap, and Het Klaverblad. Saw mills were once very abundant here, cutting large amounts of wood for crafts, the construction of the buildings in the area, and more.
Visitors can go into Het Jonge Schaap or Het Klaverblad to see how the mill works to cut the wood brought in along the river.
Paint Mill (Verfmolen)
Ticket Required: Yes – one can be purchased onsite for €6. Included in some passes and the Zaanse Schans Card if you choose as one of your two windmill visits.
The De Kat paint mill has long been grinding up pigments for paint used for art and buildings. This mill also produces chalk. Visitors can buy various pigments at the mill today.
Oil Mills (Oliemolen)
Ticket Required: Yes – one can be purchased onsite for €6. Included in some passes and the Zaanse Schans Card if you choose as one of your two windmill visits. Not required for De Ooievaar and De Os as these mills are not accessible to the public.
There are multiple oil mills in the Zaanse Schans area – De Zoeker, De Os, De Bonte Hen, and De Ooievaar. Oil mills were also once abundant here, producing a lot of this product by extracting oil from various seeds.
De Os is one of the oldest mills in Zaanse Schans, dating back to the 1660s. But it no longer operates using wind power and instead has a diesel engine.
Flour Mill (Meelmolen)
Ticket Required: No – this mill is not accessible to the public.
De Bleeke Dood is the oldest flour mill still standing in the Netherlands. Bakers once went to this mill to have their flour ground for use in their baked goods.
Crafts & Workshops
Going to the workshops in the Zaanse Schans is another interesting way to learn more about traditional Dutch crafts and the industries that have long operated in the area.
Weaver’s House (Wevershuis)
Ticket Required: Yes – can be purchased onsite for €3. Included in the Zaanse Schans Card and some passes.
The Weaver’s House contains some old looms and textiles. Visitors get some insight into the process of weaving sails for boats and the mills in the area and the traditional Dutch textile methods. There is also a shop here.
Clog Workshop (Klompenmakerij)
Ticket Required: No
Learn a bit about how traditional wooden Dutch clogs are made in this workshop. These were traditionally worn by many individuals, from farmers and mill workers to the everyday citizen. There are some souvenirs available in the shop here too.
Barrel Workshop (Kuiperij)
Ticket Required: Yes – can be purchased onsite for €3. Included in the Zaanse Schans Card and some passes.
The Cooperage provides some insight into the craft of making barrels and visitors can see some of the old equipment held there.
Cheese Farm (Kaasmakerij)
Tickets Required: No
De Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm is a shop and workshop where visitors can see a cheese-making demonstration and learn about traditional Dutch cheese. You can also taste some varieties and buy cheese if desired.
Cocoa Workshop (Blik op Cacao)
Tickets Required: No
Learn all about how the mills in the area processed cocoa beans and about traditional Dutch chocolate products. You can also make your own chocolate drink and buy some sweet treats here.
Tweekoppige Phoenix Distillery
Tickets Required: No
At this traditional distillery, visitors can learn about the distilling process. Distilleries have long existed in this area as the abundant grain ground by the nearby mills was sometimes used in the process of making beer and gin. You can also take part in a tasting and buy some of these alcoholic products if desired.
Pewter Foundry (Tinnegieterij)
Tickets Required: No
Inside the little De Tinkoepel building, visitors can see a demonstration on casting pewter goods and learn about the history of this family business.
Shops
Tickets Required: No – tickets are not required to enter the shops
There are quite a few shops in Zaanse Schans that sell a variety of local Dutch goods, souvenirs and gifts, jewelry, photography, art, soap, and more. Some are located in the old mills and workshops. Learn more about the various shops here.
Zaanse Schaans by Boat
There are a few companies that offer boat tours that take you down the river while a guide provides some information on the area. Sadly, we were there in late October when none of the boats were running.
Learn more about the options here.
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