Cheese Museum of Alkmaar in Holland

Cheese Museum situated on the second and third floors of the Alkmaar cheese-weighing house. The Dutch Cheese Museum is designed to tech cheese making, explain its history, and its inpoatance in the culture of Holland. The building was originally a chapel, but has been transferred over the centuries into the weighing house, and now both the weighing house and a museum. The Netherlands has been known for its cheeses for longer than it has been known for tulips. Main focus of museum was founded to retain the history of the proud tradition of regional cheese production despite the advent of factory cheese making.

The cheese museum has collected many of the common implements used in making cheese throughout history, and explains the difference between making cheese on the farm and in the factory. The museum also features twenty-four lofty historic portraits made in the sixteenth century of women in regional costumes from North Holland. In addition, they have recreated many of these costumes in tangible full-size versions. A guided tour is available with advanced reservations throughout the year.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (2nd R) holds a cheese at the reopening of the Cheese Museum in Alkmaar The museum, that opened in 1983 and is located in the Waaggebouw (Weighing Building), has been renovated.