Best Kid-Friendly Museums in Amsterdam .

NEMO Science Museum

NEMO is a large, multi-floor science museum shaped like a green ship. Each level focuses on a different theme, such as energy, the human body, or technology. You move freely through the building and can try experiments at your own pace. The setup is open and practical, so you do not need to follow a fixed route.
Why it works for children
Children can move around and try everything themselves. It works best for ages 6 to 14, but younger kids can still enjoy parts of it.
Opening hours
Daily: 10:00 – 17:30.
April to September open on Mondays, except 27 April 2026, King’s Day.
Location
Oosterdok 2, close to the central station.
Located near Amsterdam Central Station, about a 10-minute walk
Tickets
€21.50 4 years and older
€ 0.00 Children under 4
Official Website for Tickets
Good to know
The museum can get busy from late morning onward, especially during school holidays. Early entry helps you avoid crowds. Lockers are available for bags and coats. There is a café inside, but you can also bring your own food. The rooftop terrace is accessible without a ticket and includes water features in warmer months.

Tropenmuseum Junior (Wereldmuseum Junior)

The Tropenmuseum Junior focuses on world cultures through themed exhibitions. Each theme is built as a full environment, with music, objects, and activities that match the topic. Children move through the space as part of a guided or semi-guided experience.
Why it works for children
Children learn through play, music, and stories. The themes change often. Best for ages 6 to 13.
Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
Closed on Mondays
Location
Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, Linnaeusstraat 2, 1092 CK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Linnaeusstraat, east of the centre
Tickets
€18.00 Adult
€ 7.50 Child aged 6–18
€ 0.00 Child aged 0–5
Official Website for Tickets
Good to know
Time slots are often linked to specific programmes. This means you join a group and follow a set route. Language options are usually available, but it helps to check in advance. The museum is located inside the larger Tropenmuseum building, so allow extra time to find the entrance. You can also buy entrance tickets without pre-booking when you arrive at the museum. A standard adult ticket costs €20 at the box office. Order your tickets online and get a €2 discount! A ticket for children aged 6 to 18 costs €9 at the box office. Order online and get a €1.5 discount.

Het Scheepvaartmuseum (National Maritime Museum)

The National Maritime Museum explains the Netherlands’ history with the sea, trade, and navigation. Inside, exhibitions combine large objects like ship models with interactive displays. Outside, you can visit a full-scale replica of a historic trading ship, which is one of the main highlights.
Why it works for children
Children can explore a real ship and interactive displays. It works best for ages 6 and older.
Opening hours
Monday to Sunday: 10.00 – 17.00 hours
Location
Kattenburgerplein 1, 1018 KK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
€ 0.00 Children from 0 to 4 years
€ 8.50 Children from 5 to 17 years
€ 20.00 Adults
Good to know
The ship visit requires walking up and down stairs, which may not suit very young children. Inside the museum, there is enough space to move around with strollers. Audio and visual displays are spread out, so you can take breaks easily. The courtyard is covered, which makes it usable in all weather.

KiMu Kinderkunstmuseum

KiMu is a small children’s art museum with changing exhibitions. Each setup is built around a simple theme like colour or movement. There are no traditional displays. Children interact with installations instead of looking at artworks.
The layout is compact and easy to follow. Children move freely between activities such as drawing, building, and experimenting with materials. The focus is on doing, not reading.
You move through a series of rooms where children can create, touch, and explore, each focused on one theme. The experience is guided by curiosity rather than fixed routes.
Why it works for children
Children are encouraged to try things themselves instead of just looking. Best for ages 4 to 10, especially those who like drawing or building.
Children can draw, build, move objects, and experiment with materials. Some installations respond to movement or touch, which keeps it engaging without screens.
Opening hours
Wednesday: 10:00 to 18:00
Saturday: 10.00 to 17.00
Sunday: 10.00 to 17.00
Location
Termini 487, 1025 XM Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
€ 12,50 Adult
€ 17,50 Children 2 years and older
€ 0,00 Children 0 to 1 year
Good to know
The space is small and calm, which makes it suitable for younger children who get overwhelmed easily. Visits usually last 60 to 90 minutes. There are no large crowds, but entry may be limited during busy times. There is no café inside, so plan a break before or after your visit.

WONDR Experience

WONDR is an indoor experience made up of themed rooms. Each room includes visual installations, soft play elements, and interactive setups.
You follow a fixed route through the space. Activities include moving through ball pits, mirrored rooms, and colourful environments. The experience is physical and fast-paced, with no focus on information or learning.
You follow a set route through different spaces. Each room is designed to interact with, not just observe.
Why it works for children
Children can move freely, jump, and explore. It suits ages 6 and up, especially active children.
Children can jump into ball pits, walk through mirrored rooms, swing, press buttons, and explore soft play areas. Many rooms are built for physical interaction.
Opening hours
Daily: usually 09:30 – 18:30
Location
Meeuwenlaan 88, 1021 JK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
€26.00 Adult (11+ years old):
€18.00 Child (2-10 years old)
€22.00 Family bundle
Good to know
Time slots are strict, and visits are timed. Expect a visit of about 90 minutes. It can get busy and noisy, especially on weekends. Lockers are available for bags. Wear comfortable clothes, as children will be moving a lot. This is not a quiet museum.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Amsterdam

Ripley’s is a multi-floor museum with unusual objects, short stories, and interactive displays. Each section presents a different topic, such as world records, natural oddities, or visual illusions.
You move freely through the building. Exhibits include buttons, screens, and small activities. The structure is not linear, but the layout is clear and easy to navigate.
You walk through several floors, each with a different theme. The layout is clear, and you can move at your own pace.
Why it works for children
There is constant variety, which helps keep attention. Best for ages 8 and up.
Children can look at unusual objects, try small games, and interact with visual illusions. There are buttons to press and short activities throughout.
Opening hours
Daily: 10:00 – 21:00
Location
Dam 21, 1012 JS Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
€ 22.50 Adults
€ 13.50 Children
Good to know
The museum is indoors and can feel crowded in the afternoon. Early morning or evening visits are quieter. There are stairs and lifts between floors. Plan 1.5 to 2 hours for a full visit. Some parts may be slightly intense for younger children.

Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam

The resistance museum explains life in the Netherlands during World War II. The junior section is designed for children and follows four personal stories.
The space is structured and quiet. Exhibits use objects, photos, and short texts. The focus is on understanding events through stories rather than interaction.
The museum is divided into adult and junior sections. The junior section is designed to be easier to understand and more visual.
Why it works for children
It explains a complex topic in a simple and personal way. Best for ages 9 and up.
Children can listen to stories, look at objects, and follow characters through different situations. It is more about understanding than interacting physically.
Opening hours
Daily: 10:00 – 17:00
Location
Plantage Kerklaan 61, 1018 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
Near the Artis Zoo
Tickets
€17,50 Adults
€ 0.00 Children up to 6 years
€ 9.50 Children 7 to 17 years
Good to know
The subject is serious, so it depends on your child’s interest and sensitivity. The junior section is separate and easier to follow. Plan around 1 to 1.5 hours. Combine it with a visit to the nearby park or zoo to balance the day.

Kattenkabinet

Kattenkabinet is a small museum inside a canal house, focused on cats in art. The collection includes paintings, drawings, and objects.
You walk through several rooms with a traditional interior. Real cats live in the building and move around freely. The visit is short and informal, with no fixed route.
You enter a canal house and walk through several rooms with art and objects related to cats. The atmosphere is quiet and informal. The visit is informal. You move through the house at your own pace, room by room.
Why it works for children
The theme is simple and easy to understand. It works best for ages 6 and up, especially for children who like animals.
Children can look at paintings, spot different cat images, and sometimes interact with real cats walking around.
Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 12:00 – 17:00
Location
Herengracht 497, 1017 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
€12,50 Adult
€ 0.00 Children
€ 25.00 Guided Tour Cat Cabinet
Official website for tickets
Good to know
The museum is small and quiet. Visits usually take 30 to 60 minutes. There are real cats walking around, which children often enjoy. The building has stairs and narrow spaces, so it is less suitable for strollers. Good as a short stop rather than a main activity.

ARTIS Amsterdam

ARTIS Amsterdam is the city’s main zoo, located in the Plantage area. It combines animals, gardens, historic buildings, an aquarium, a planetarium, and several indoor spaces. The zoo is spread out over a green, walkable area, so children can move around without the visit feeling too structured.
You move through the park at your own pace. Children can see animals, walk through garden paths, visit indoor exhibits, outdoor playground and take breaks at open spaces along the way. The Planetarium is included with a zoo ticket, which gives the visit an extra indoor activity if the weather changes. ARTIS-Micropia and ARTIS-Groote Museum are separate museums next to the zoo and can be added to your visit with a combination ticket.
Why it works for children
ARTIS works well for children because there is constant variety. They can look at animals, walk between different areas, explore indoor spaces, and take breaks when needed. It suits a wide age range, from toddlers to older children.
Younger children usually enjoy the animals, open paths, the playground and simple layout. Older children may also enjoy the Planetarium, animal information, ARTIS-Micropia, or ARTIS-Groote Museum.
ARTIS-Micropia
ARTIS-Micropia is a museum about microbes: tiny living organisms that are everywhere, including in our bodies, food, water, soil, and the air around us. It is more scientific than the zoo, but the subject is presented visually, with microscopes, displays, and interactive elements. Micropia is a place where visitors see the world from a different perspective by learning about microorganisms.
This museum works best for slightly older children who are curious about science, the body, nature, or strange facts. It is usually more suitable for children aged 8 and up than for very young children. Younger kids may still enjoy the visual parts, but they may not understand all the explanations.
Children can look through microscopes, see microbes enlarged on screens, learn how bacteria and fungi work, and discover how much invisible life exists around them. It is a good add-on if your child likes NEMO-style science activities, but it is less physical and less playful than the zoo itself.
ARTIS-Groote Museum (Big Museum)
ARTIS-Groote Museum is an interactive nature museum next to the zoo. It focuses on the connection between humans, animals, plants, microbes, and the natural world. The museum is located in a historic building over 170 years old and uses interactive installations, art, and sensory exhibits to show how people are part of nature.
This museum is calmer and more reflective than the zoo. It is not mainly about seeing animals, but about asking questions: how do humans move, feel, breathe, eat, communicate, and connect with other living things? It can work well for children who like touching, listening, looking, and exploring at their own pace.
For younger children, some parts may feel abstract. For older children, especially ages 8 and up, it can be a good way to make a zoo visit more educational. It is also useful when the weather is bad, because the museum is indoors and gives the day more variety.
When to combine them
For most families with younger children, ARTIS Zoo alone is enough for one visit. The park already has animals, indoor spaces, the aquarium, playground-style areas, food stops, and the Planetarium. Adding both Micropia and Groote Museum on the same day can make the visit too long.
If you have older children or teenagers, combining ARTIS with one extra museum can work well. Choose ARTIS-Micropia if they like science, biology, the human body, or unusual facts. Choose ARTIS-Groote Museum if they like interactive museums, nature, art, and broader questions about humans and the natural world.
A practical option is to visit the zoo first and add one museum afterwards if your children still have energy. Another option is to visit ARTIS-Micropia or ARTIS-Groote Museum separately, especially if you want a shorter indoor activity in the Plantage area.
Opening hours
ARTIS Zoo: Daily 09:00 – 18:00
ARTIS-Micropia: Daily 10:00 – 17:00
ARTIS-Groote Museum: Daily 10:00 – 17:00, and until 22:00 on Thursdays.
Location
Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Located in the Plantage neighbourhood, close to the Verzetsmuseum, Hortus Botanicus, and the eastern side of the city centre.
Tickets
ARTIS Zoo tickets are cheaper online and vary by day.
€32,50 13+ years
€27,50 3 to 12 years old
€ 0,00 to 2 years old: free
Combination tickets with ARTIS-Micropia or ARTIS-Groote Museum are also available. According to ARTIS, the museums are free for children up to and including 12 years old when added to a zoo ticket. The Planetarium is included with your ARTIS Zoo ticket.
Official Website for Tickets
Good to know
ARTIS is best planned as a half-day visit, especially with children. The park is easy to walk through, but it can still feel like a lot if you try to see everything. Start with the animals or areas your children care about most, then add the Planetarium or one of the nearby museums if there is enough energy left.
The zoo can get busy during weekends, school holidays, and sunny afternoons. Morning visits are usually easier with younger children. There are places to eat inside, but bringing snacks or water is useful, especially if you are visiting with small children.
ARTIS is also a good option when the weather is mixed. Much of the visit is outdoors, but indoor areas, cafés, the Planetarium, ARTIS-Micropia, and ARTIS-Groote Museum give you places to pause when it rains or gets cold.