The Entrance and the Cellar
Welcome to the Zaan Time Museum! Even before you actually enter our museum, you can already enjoy some very special clocks. For example, there are a number of Frisian tail clocks behind the cash register and you can look at the workshop of a clockmaker in the Cellar. Moreover, there are a number of turret clocks here, one of them is even in motion!
Featured: Frisian Tail Clock
A Frisian Tail Clock hangs behind the cash register. This is a clock dated and signed: “B. Haanstra architect of the town of Sneek 1768”. It is a “short tail” or “fathead”. The dial shows hours, minutes, date and the phases of the moon. The timepiece has going and alarm work as well as an anchor escapement, a rack striking mechanism on 2 bells and an automation driven by the striking mechanism. This means that the figures will “ride” around on their horses when the clock strikes.
Featured: Turret Clock
This turret clock is currently installed in the Cellar and is set in motion every day. This is a turret timepiece by P. van Grootheest (ca. 1820). This makes it a turret clock from a maker who provided several church towers in the vicinity of Wageningen with a clock. The wheels have square shaped teeth and the columnar cast iron corner posts were used more often by Van Grootheest in his turret clocks. This particular timepiece has count wheel strike.
