Molenmuseum De Valk

Molen De Valk, the Falcon, is a windmill in Leiden that has been turned into a museum, and it stands beside the Binnenvestgracht at the edge of the old town. Leiden was once full of mills, which ground grain, pressed oil, sawed wood and powered the textile industry that made the city rich, but nearly all have gone. De Valk is the one that remains in working order, and it gives a direct, physical sense of how a windmill and a miller's household functioned. The mill dates from the middle of the eighteenth century, and it is a tower mill of the kind built for grinding grain in towns.

A visit begins with the building itself. The mill is a tall, solid tower with a rotating cap carrying the sails, and the visitor climbs through its floors on steep wooden stairs. Each floor has its own function. Lower levels held the storage and the living areas, where the miller's family lived and slept in cramped conditions beside the machinery, and higher up the stone floor and the grinding gear occupy the centre of the tower. The great wooden shaft that carries the power of the wind down from the sails, the wheels with wooden cogs, the millstones and the chutes can be seen at close quarters, and on days when the wind is right the mill is sometimes turned to show how it works.

The exhibitions explain the history of milling in the Netherlands. They cover how wind power was harnessed, the work of the miller, who needed knowledge of wind, grain and machinery, and the importance of mills for the supply of bread and for the economy of the town. In the Dutch tradition, millers could send messages with the position of the sails, and they were part of the community's life. A small museum house next door shows how a miller's family lived in the early twentieth century, with furniture and household objects.

Practical points are simple. The stairs are steep, narrow and numerous, so the museum is not suitable for people with limited mobility, and small children need supervision. The outer gallery on the mill gives a view over the rooftops of Leiden, a fine spot for photographs. Opening hours are limited, so check the museum's information before you go.

The mill suits families, technology enthusiasts and anyone who likes old buildings. A visit takes about an hour. It sits near the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Museum Boerhaave and Naturalis, so it is easy to combine with other museums, and the canals and lanes of the old centre are good for a walk afterwards.