Visiting the Mühlemuseum Brüglingen in Basel

The hamlet and mill were first recorded in a deed from 1259 as being owned by the Basel Dompropstei, serving as a key site under a tenant who held the local milling monopoly for the estate.

During the 16th century, the mill structure underwent a significant reconstruction, likely to address the challenges of its location on the river Birs, where it was subject to frequent flooding and water shortages.

The water supply infrastructure was expanded between 1624 and 1625 when the canal was prolonged through Brüglingen, altering how water was sidetracked to the mill from the Birs waterfall in Münchenstein.

The mill facility was refurbished in 1777 to provide improved residential space for the miller, integrating domestic living quarters into the operational industrial structure.

Christoph Merian senior purchased the Brüglingen farm, including the mill, in 1811. The property was subsequently passed to his son, Christoph Merian, as a wedding gift in 1824.

Following its transfer within the Merian family, the Christoph Merian Stiftung oversaw a refurbishment of the facility in 1824, re-equipping it to function as a dedicated grain mill.

Active milling production ceased in 1925. Following this closure, the building was transitioned into a storage facility for the estate's grain supply.

The former watermill building was repurposed and opened to the public as a museum in 1966, beginning its role in preserving the history of local milling.

In 2002, the museum introduced updated educational strategies, establishing a comprehensive exhibition that explores the history of milling and the daily work of millers from the Bronze Age to modern times.