From pewter foundry to coopery: handicrafts in the Zaanse Schans
The characteristic clatter of wooden clogs on cobblestones would never have existed without the artisans who crafted this unusual footwear. The Old Dutch handicrafts have also brought us the typical Dutch cheeses and the Delft Blue decorative style. You’ll encounter various different artisans as you stroll through the Zaanse Schans. Feel free to look over their shoulders; they’ll be happy to show you where their particular products come from. There’s a great range of products available in the craft shops, for a wonderful souvenir of our special past. Buy Ticket Zaanse Schans and learn about the crafs at the Weavers’ House and Tiemstra’s Coopery
Tiemstra Coopery
Making a barrel is not as easy as might think. Discover why in the coopery.
| Monday | Closed-17:00 |
| Tuesday | Closed-17:00 |
| Wednesday | Closed-17:00 |
| Thursday | Closed-17:00 |
| Friday | Closed-17:00 |
| Saturday | Closed-17:00 |
| Sunday | Closed-17:00 |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
View the opening hours |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Adults | € 29.50 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Children (4-17 jaar) | € 20.00 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Groups - Adults | € 26.55 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Groups - Children (4-17 jaar) | € 18.00 |
Take a step back in time as you enter the Tiemstra Coopery. Cooperage is a special craft, because making a wooden barrel is no easy thing. It must be able to store and transport many different things. Whether it’s flour, spices, oils or water, nothing can leak out. Not to mention gunpowder… The authentic atmosphere is still imbued with the spirit of the last Zaanse cooper. The Coopery displays the fully outfitted workshop of barrel-making company S.R. Tiemstra & Sons from Oostzaan. Jaap Tiemstra bequeathed the workshop after his death in 1999. Tiemstra’s barrel-making workshop was then moved to the building that previously housed the Schuitemakerij Brewery. It was located at Rustenburg in Zaandam, but was demolished in 1964 and its contents were put into storage. In 1967, the warehouse was reconstructed at the Zaanse Schans.
The Weaver’s House
Here you can see how large sails were made, both for boats and windmills.
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
View the opening hours |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Adults | € 29.50 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Children (4-17 jaar) | € 20.00 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Groups - Adults | € 26.55 |
| Ticket Zaanse Schans - Groups - Children (4-17 jaar) | € 18.00 |
In the Weaver’s House in the Zaanse Schans, you’ll discover the history of the traditional Dutch craft of sail making. In the 18th century, two entire families would have lived here among the five looms. Experience how it must have felt at that time; crawl behind the loom, relax in the box bed and admire the weavers in their traditional costumes.
The Weaver’s House was an operational weavers right up to the beginning of the 20th century. In 2015, the house on the Zaanse Schans was rebuilt and employees of the Zaans Museum now demonstrate the craft of home weaving.
Blik op Cacao
Make your own traditional chocolate drink with 100% Zaanse cocoa powder.
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
The Blik op Cacao experience store is inspired by the view outside the building: the Ofi cocoa factory. You will find us at the Zaan River between the windmills. This is the place where cocoa beans have been processed for 2 centuries. A beautiful setting in the heart of the world’s largest cocoa industry, until today.
How do you make chocolate from cocoa beans? What is the true taste of a chocolate drink? Why does the Zaan region smell like cocoa? At Blik op Cacao you will find out. Come in and see a demonstration! Listen to our experts in the store. Taste the top-quality Dutch chocolates and make your own traditional chocolate milk with 100% Zaanse cocoa powder. In short, a mouthwatering place full of fascinating stories!
The Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm
There’s nothing more Dutch than… cheese! Come and try some at the Catharina Hoeve Farm
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
Zeilenmakerspad 5
1509 BZ Zaandam
T: (+31)75-6215820
E: catharina.hoeve@willig.nl
A good old cheese sandwich; it’s what made us so tall! Learn all about the typical Dutch delicacies at Catharina Hoeve, a replica of a traditional farm from Oostzaan. The cheese makers, clad in traditional costumes, will tell you all about the different types of cheese. After all, what exactly is the difference between Gouda, goats and herb cheese? There are daily demonstrations, in 10 different languages, allowing you to see everything that’s involved in producing the cheese. And, of course, you’ll get to taste some of those delicious cheeses. But be warned: a little taste probably won’t be enough for you! That’s why we’ve got all sorts of goodies to buy in the farm shop.
Clog workshop
Clogs: see how these world famous Dutch shoes are actually made.
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| free entrance | |
| Open on Christmas Day and New Year's Day from 10.00 - 16.00 | |
Give the clog maker a block of wood and chisel, blink your eyes and voilà: a clog. The workshop is open everyday, allowing you to see how they were made for farmers, workers and the general public. Admission is free to both the workshop and the small, but impressive, shoe museum. It’s a unique opportunity to view one of the largest and finest collections of clogs in the Netherlands. This includes beautiful examples of painted clogs, carved clogs, “ice clogs” with iron fittings, horse clogs, “art”-clogs and clogs from many (exotic) countries.
The workshop is situated in the ‘De Vreede’ warehouse (1750), which was formerly used to store grain and snuff tobacco. The warehouse was originally used by the Molenaar company (Molenaar’s baby food) from Westzaan. The clog workshop also contains a large shop with ready to wear clogs in all sizes and colours, along with miniature clogs, clog slippers, key-rings and piggy banks. There is also a wide assortment of typical Dutch souvenirs: something for everyone.
Liqueur distillery de Tweekoppige Phoenix
Discover the most delicious liqueurs at the Liqueur distillery de Tweekoppige Phoenix.
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
Kraaienest 3
1509 AZ Zaandam
T: (+31)75- 635 3111
E: info@detweekoppigephoenix.nl
Find out all about the ancient tradition of distilling alcohol, which is easy to observe thanks to the use of glass retorts and a traditional copper kettle. Throughout the day, the enthusiastic staff are always ready to provide information about the process. The Tweekoppige Phoenix also offers a tasting of three liqueurs from our broad range. From sweet to peppery, whatever takes your fancy! In the authentic bar room, you can try one of the countless flavours created here and buy your favourite one in the shop. But why, you may ask, is there a distillery in the Zaanse Schans? In the past, distilleries were quite common in towns. The mills not only ground grain for bread, but also for beer and gin. The production of alcoholic spirits used to be a lengthy process, until the steam engine was invented. This made it much easier to produce liqueurs.
The Tinkoepel pewter foundry
Casting pewter: an artisanal industry that is still done completely by hand.
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
View the opening hours |
One of the last pewter foundries in the Netherlands stands on the Zaanse Schans. This traditional craft does not involve any machinery; all the products are cast and finished by hand. The moulds employed are invariably made from an ancient form of bronze, the oldest of which dates from 1697. The pewter foundry gives free daily demonstrations. Inside, you’ll find the largest range of pewter products available in the Netherlands. De Tinkoepel at Zaanse Schans is housed in a listed building dating from the second half of the 18th century. This beautiful, romantic building used to be a teahouse, located then, as now on the banks of the River Zaan. Like many other buildings, it was moved to the Zaanse Schans in 1968. In this case, from the Westzijde in Zaandam.