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De Wachter in Zuidlaren is an oil and grain mill. A museum is housed inside the mill; more a…
De Wachter in Zuidlaren is an oil and grain mill. A museum is housed inside the mill; more accurately, the mill is part of a museum that has an array of steam engines on display and showcases many old crafts. Interested in seeing how soap is made? Curious what old grocery shops used to look like? You can find out at De Wachter’s mill museum. The museum is also where the statue of Berend Botje—of the famous 19th-century, Dutch children’s song Berend Botje ging uit varen—can be found. You can see De Boezemvriend on the other side of the water standing atop the stage of De Wachter.
De Wachter was built in 1851 at its current location as a grain and oil mill. In 1898 the mill was given two steam installations. One of these generates electricity for the oil mill, while the other drives the milling of spices. The mill is still dependent on the wind to mill grain. There is a museum complex surrounding the mill, which features, among other things, an oil crusher, four operational steam engines, a spice mill, a millwright’s workshop, an artisinal bakery and a 1920s grocery shop. On set days, you can go on a boat trip on paddle steamer De Jonge Wachter.
Eight-sided smock mill with stage
