Pella Historical Village & Vermeer Windmill — Attraction in Pella

$20 (adults) gets you a lot to experience. With their wristband, you may go in and out all day! Windmill: Wonderful “Miller” volunteers in uniform who explain how to run a grain mill inside and out. The inner mechanisms are well labeled, and there is an interactive opportunity. Be advised there are several stairs, but you can view something on each level for a break. If you go to the top where you can view some of Pella and see the windmill’s blades up close, an elevator will take you down. Don’t skip the 1840s Netherlands miniature village depicting each season, including figures, animals, and moving vehicles. Little signs are placed around, explaining why things are. A volunteer is available for Q&A. Historical Village: Many more tulips here! Lots of photo opps in and out of the buildings. The blacksmith shop has a running machine with volunteers. Wyatt Earp’s home is on site where you may listen to an audio tour. However, I enjoyed walking through the house without it. Each room is unique and has brief text to read. The Heritage House has multiple displays of Pella history (2 levels). If you are a music buff, you will enjoy a section inside. There is a room dedicated for kids to enjoy themselves—put on a puppet show, color, etc. The building connects to the church where you see photos of all the tulips planted. You may also order bulbs here (or online)—50 per package. If you go out the church’s back door, you exit the village, but there are more tulips along that street.

The cashier offered an add-on price for touring the Scholte house, but if you have a reservation at the Marie Tea Room, that charge includes a home tour. Be advised that the ticket price increases during the Tulip Time festival. I think that the gift shop charges too much; I recommend checking other Pella shops...

This part of Pella is easy to gloss over from the outside but if you have the extra time and money, the guided tour of the Vermeer Mill, miniature Dutch village and self-paced historical village are very much worth it. this is separate from the regular Pella downtown

My kids adored the tiny village but I think they got almost as big a kick out of all the little houses and businesses they got to go inside.

I love an educational opportunity and we got to see the workings of a mill, learn about sod houses, pretend we were bakers, watch them put on a puppet show, and see several other exhibits. Oh, and Wyatt Earp’s childhood home!

It was definitely a highlight of our day and we will be back! Super thankful for the military...

In the town of Pella and near the town square is the historical Dutch Village. Once you go in, you will pay your $10 fee at the gift shop, which entitles you to take one of the hourly windmill tours and tour the 22 recreated Dutch shops and buildings outside. I was quite impressed with the windmill, which is a 5-story working windmill. On the second floor is a miniature Dutch village displaying all 4 seasons. I didn't spend too much time at the outside buildings as there were several school tours going on at the time. The windmill tour takes about an hour and the outside tour is self-guiding. There are a number of interesting items in the gift shop. All the volunteers were quite pleasant and...