The Zaanse Schans is a fully inhabited, open-air conservation area and museum located 9 miles north of Amsterdam. Original buildings vividly depict Dutch life in the 17th and 18th centuries. The authentic houses, the historic shipyard, the clog-making demonstrations and, above all, the windmills, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. De Zaan region is probably the world's first industrial site ever. Some 250 years ago, well over 800 windmills were cramped into this relatively small area. They performed a wide range of industrial duties. Of the five windmills, three are open to visitors. A boat tour on the river Zaan offers a particularly wonderful view of these mills.

The open-air museum also features a wooden shoemaker, a pewter factory, bakery, cheese and dairy farm, and a century-old grocery store. The Zaanse Schans is open from Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note that not all museums on the site are open during the winter months. Admission to Zaanse Schans is free. There is a small fee for the museums and mills. There are four direct trains per hour that take you from Amsterdam Central Station to the Koog-Zaandijk station in 17 minutes.