Amsterdam is a brilliantly easy city for a family trip: compact, flat, bike-friendly and packed with attractions aimed squarely at children. Feed the goats at a historic zoo, run wild through five floors of hands-on science at NEMO, meet the invisible world at Micropia, cruise the harbour on an all-you-can-eat Pancake Boat, or duck underground into a giant indoor playground when it rains. Here are the best family attractions, with age guidance, prices and practical tips.
€26Artis Royal Zoo
Area
Plantage
Ages
All ages
“One of Europe's oldest zoos with a planetarium and aquarium included — a full, leafy family day out.”
€17.50NEMO Science Museum
Area
Oosterdok
Ages
6+ (all welcome)
“Hands-on experiments over five floors, plus a free rooftop with city views — a top rainy-day pick.”
€16Micropia
Area
Plantage
Ages
8+ (all welcome)
“The world's only microbe museum — the full-body scanner showing your own microbes is a hit with older kids.”
€25Madame Tussauds Amsterdam
Area
Dam Square
Ages
All ages
“Right on Dam Square — book online for a timed slot and a cheaper ticket than the door price.”
€27Pancake Boat (Pannenkoekenboot)
Area
Amsterdam-Noord (NDSM)
Ages
All ages
“All-you-can-eat pancakes while cruising the IJ — the kids' section has a slide and unlimited syrup.”
FreeAmsterdamse Bos
Area
Amstelveen (south)
Ages
All ages
“A huge forest park with a goat farm, pancake house, paddle boats and open-air theatre — free to roam.”
€10.50TunFun Speelpark
Area
City Centre (Waterlooplein)
Ages
1–12 years
“A huge indoor playground in a former traffic underpass — the ultimate rainy-day rescue for younger kids.”
€25The Amsterdam Dungeon
Area
City Centre (Rokin)
Ages
10+ / teens
“Live actors, dark humour and gentle scares bring the city's grisly history to life — best for older kids and teens.”
Amsterdam family attractions in detail
1.Artis Royal Zoo
Artis is the Netherlands' oldest zoo (founded 1838) and one of the prettiest in Europe, a beautifully landscaped park in the leafy Plantage district that's as much a green oasis as an animal attraction. Alongside the wide range of animals — big cats, giraffes, elephants, primates, sea lions and more — the ticket cleverly bundles in several attractions under one price: a historic aquarium, a butterfly pavilion, an insectarium, and a planetarium, plus monumental nineteenth-century buildings and gardens dotted with sculpture. That variety, and the mature trees and canals threading the grounds, make it a genuinely lovely and relaxed family day out rather than just a walk past enclosures, and there's plenty of space for children to roam and picnic. It sits right beside the Hortus Botanicus and the micro-organism museum Micropia (which shares its entrance), so you can combine several attractions in one neighbourhood. Buy tickets online to save time, allow at least half a day, and check feeding and show times when you arrive. Central, historic and packed with variety, Artis is one of the best family attractions in Amsterdam and a delight for adults too.
Hours
Daily ~09:00–17:00/18:00 (seasonal)
Price
From €26 adult; child discounts
Getting there
Tram 14 or 7 to Artis / Plantage; near the Hortus Botanicus
Insider tip: One of Europe's oldest zoos with a planetarium and aquarium included — a full, leafy family day out.
2.NEMO Science Museum
NEMO is the largest science museum in the Netherlands and an outstanding family attraction, housed in a striking green, ship-shaped building rising from the Oosterdok harbour east of Centraal Station. Its whole philosophy is learning by doing: across five floors, children can blow gigantic soap bubbles, run chemistry and physics experiments, set off chain reactions, explore how the human brain and body work, generate electricity, and play with light, water and machines in dozens of interactive stations. It's noisy, hands-on and genuinely absorbing, pitched to keep kids from roughly six upward busy for hours, though younger children enjoy plenty of it too, and it's a reliable rainy-day saviour. A brilliant bonus is free: the huge stepped rooftop terrace can be climbed without a museum ticket, giving one of the best views over the old city and a summer 'beach' and café. Buy tickets online to skip the queue, allow two to three hours inside, and reach it on an easy waterfront walk from Centraal. Educational, energetic and central, NEMO is a top pick for families visiting Amsterdam and endlessly popular with school groups and holidaymakers alike.
Hours
Tue–Sun 10:00–17:30 (daily in holidays)
Price
€17.50; under-4s free
Getting there
15-minute walk from Centraal along the water, or bus 22
Insider tip: Hands-on experiments over five floors, plus a free rooftop with city views — a top rainy-day pick.
3.Micropia
Micropia is a genuinely unique attraction — the world's only museum dedicated to micro-organisms, the invisible world of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes that shape life on Earth. Sharing an entrance with the Artis zoo in the Plantage district, it turns something you can't see into a compelling, high-tech, interactive experience: powerful microscopes let you watch living micro-organisms up close, exhibits explain how microbes make bread, cheese, beer and medicines, and a memorable full-body scanner reveals the microbes living on and inside your own body, along with a station that tells you how many you swap with a partner in a single kiss. It's clever, modern and surprisingly fun, striking a smart balance between education and 'wow' that particularly appeals to curious older children (roughly eight and up), teenagers and science-minded adults, though the design keeps it engaging for younger ones too. It's compact enough to see in an hour to ninety minutes, making it easy to combine with Artis next door, the Hortus Botanicus or NEMO for a science-themed family day. Buy tickets online, ideally as an Artis combination, and prepare to look at the world — and yourself — a little differently afterwards. A fascinating, one-of-a-kind Amsterdam museum.
Hours
Daily ~09:00/10:00–17:00 (seasonal)
Price
€16; child discounts (shares Artis entrance)
Getting there
Tram 14 or 7 to Artis / Plantage, at the Artis zoo entrance
Insider tip: The world's only microbe museum — the full-body scanner showing your own microbes is a hit with older kids.
4.Madame Tussauds Amsterdam
Madame Tussauds Amsterdam brings the world-famous waxworks brand to a prime spot right on Dam Square, in the historic heart of the city, making it one of the easiest indoor family attractions to fold into general sightseeing. Spread over several themed floors, it's packed with astonishingly lifelike wax figures of international and Dutch celebrities, musicians, film and TV stars, sports heroes, world leaders and royals — including the Dutch royal family — arranged in interactive, photo-friendly sets that encourage you to pose alongside them. It leans into hands-on fun with dressing-up, interactive experiences and themed zones, which keeps children and teenagers entertained and delivers a camera-roll full of amusing snaps. It's unashamedly touristy and commercial rather than educational, and prices are on the higher side, so it works best as a light, fun hour or so — especially welcome on a wet day — rather than a cultural highlight. Book online in advance for a timed entry slot and a noticeably lower price than at the door, and combine it with Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the surrounding shopping. For families wanting a bit of central, weatherproof, crowd-pleasing entertainment between the museums and canals, it's a reliable option.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–19:00 (seasonal)
Price
From €25; cheaper online
Getting there
Tram 2, 12, 13, 14 or 17 to Dam, on Dam Square
Insider tip: Right on Dam Square — book online for a timed slot and a cheaper ticket than the door price.
5.Pancake Boat (Pannenkoekenboot)
The Pancake Boat (Pannenkoekenboot) is a brilliantly simple family idea that kids adore: a cruise around Amsterdam's IJ waterway and harbour combined with an all-you-can-eat buffet of freshly made Dutch pancakes. Over roughly seventy-five minutes, the boat glides past the working port, the striking waterfront architecture and the ships of the IJ while everyone tucks into unlimited sweet and savoury pancakes with a spread of toppings and syrups. There's a dedicated children's play area on board, sometimes including a small slide, and on certain sailings extra attractions to keep little ones entertained, making it as much an experience as a meal. It departs from the NDSM Wharf in the creative, up-and-coming Amsterdam-Noord district, reached on the free GVB ferry across the water — the short crossing being part of the adventure. It's understandably popular with families and best booked in advance, particularly for weekend and holiday sailings when it runs most often. Prices are reasonable given the cruise and the bottomless food. For a fun, filling and genuinely different family activity that combines Amsterdam's love of both boats and pancakes, the Pancake Boat is a guaranteed winner with children.
Hours
Scheduled cruises, mostly weekends & holidays
Price
From ~€27 adult; child discounts
Getting there
Free GVB ferry to NDSM Wharf, or from behind Centraal by boat
Insider tip: All-you-can-eat pancakes while cruising the IJ — the kids' section has a slide and unlimited syrup.
6.Amsterdamse Bos
The Amsterdamse Bos ('Amsterdam Forest') is a huge green playground on the southern edge of the city — a 1930s-built woodland park three times the size of New York's Central Park, laced with lakes, canals, meadows and trails, and a wonderful free day out for families who want space and nature. There's an enormous amount to do: a much-loved goat farm (Geitenboerderij) where children can feed and pet the animals and buy fresh goat's-milk products, a pancake restaurant, playgrounds, a climbing forest, rowing and pedal boats to hire, an open-air theatre in summer, cycling and walking routes galore, and even a rowing course and stretches of open water for swimming in warm weather. Because it's so big, renting bikes is the best way to explore, and there's a visitor centre to help you plan. It sits toward Amstelveen and Schiphol, a tram or bus ride south of the centre, making it a proper escape into the countryside without leaving the city's reach. Most of it is completely free, with only some activities charged. For an active, outdoorsy, low-cost family day away from the museums and crowds, the Amsterdamse Bos is one of the best options around Amsterdam.
Hours
Always open; attractions have their own hours
Price
Park free; some activities charged
Getting there
Tram 25 or bus toward Amstelveen; near Schiphol
Insider tip: A huge forest park with a goat farm, pancake house, paddle boats and open-air theatre — free to roam.
7.TunFun Speelpark
TunFun is a genius use of urban space and a lifesaver for families with young children on a rainy Amsterdam day: a huge indoor adventure playground built inside a former traffic underpass beneath the busy Mr. Visserplein near Waterlooplein. Descending underground, children find a vast, colourful play world of slides, ball pits, trampolines, climbing frames, soft-play areas, a football pitch, a stage and dedicated zones for different age groups, all safely enclosed so parents can relax with a coffee in the café while the kids burn off energy. It's aimed at children roughly one to twelve, with toddler areas kept separate from the boisterous older-kid equipment, and it's genuinely enormous, easily filling a couple of hours of active, screen-free play. Entry is charged per child while accompanying adults go free, and it's excellent value for the amount of space and equipment. Its central location by Waterlooplein makes it easy to reach on the metro or tram and simple to combine with nearby sights (or to duck into when the weather turns). For parents of younger children looking for a warm, dry, fun and affordable way to keep them entertained, TunFun is one of the best indoor options in central Amsterdam.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–18:00
Price
~€10.50 per child; adults free
Getting there
Metro 51/53/54 or tram 14 to Waterlooplein
Insider tip: A huge indoor playground in a former traffic underpass — the ultimate rainy-day rescue for younger kids.
8.The Amsterdam Dungeon
The Amsterdam Dungeon is a theatrical, actor-led attraction on the central Rokin that brings the darker chapters of the city's and the Netherlands' history to life through a series of live-action shows, sets and special effects. Guided through gloomy, atmospheric rooms by costumed performers, visitors encounter grisly tales of plague, the Inquisition, witch trials, executions and legendary local characters, delivered with a knowing mix of genuine history, gruesome detail, jump-scares and plenty of dark, tongue-in-cheek humour. There's usually a small indoor ride and lots of audience interaction, so you're part of the story rather than a passive observer. It's designed to thrill rather than terrify, but the scares, effects and macabre themes make it best suited to older children (roughly ten and up), teenagers and adults rather than the very young or the easily frightened. Lasting around an hour, it's a fun, weatherproof change of pace from the museums, and its central location makes it easy to combine with nearby Dam Square and the Kalverstraat shopping. Book online for a timed slot and a lower price than at the door. For families with older kids and teens who enjoy a good spooky laugh, the Dungeon is an entertaining Amsterdam diversion.
Hours
Daily ~10:00/11:00–18:00
Price
From €25; cheaper online
Getting there
Tram 4, 14 or 24 to Rokin, in the centre
Insider tip: Live actors, dark humour and gentle scares bring the city's grisly history to life — best for older kids and teens.