Free, and good with it
London and Paris are famous for free museums and parks, but they are not the only places. These eight family days out cost nothing to enter, or nothing for the part that matters most. Each has its own page on JuniorTravelClub with opening times and the full family facts.
1. National Museum Cardiff, Wales
National Museum Cardiff is free, with a buggy park, a private room for feeding and changing, and ear defenders for children who need them.
2. Manchester Museum, England
Entry to the Manchester Museum is free, and a quiet room, ear defenders and sensory bags give overwhelmed children somewhere to reset.
3. National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
The permanent collection at the National Gallery of Ireland is free, with a drop-in drawing space, free Family Packs, a kids’ audio tour and a Babies & Toddlers route.
4. Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago
Lincoln Park Zoo gives children animals, a farm and a play treehouse with no entry fee.
5. Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri
The Saint Louis Zoo is free with no reservations: pack lunch, bring a stroller and leave when the children have had enough.
6. Musée des Confluences, Lyon
At the Musée des Confluences the garden, main hall, pools and fourth-floor terrace are free without a ticket, and strollers are lent free inside the exhibitions.
7. Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium
Under-18s get into the Royal Museum for Central Africa free, and children get their own floor plan to instruments they can play, a crafts corner and a rumba corner.
8. Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
Museum Wiesbaden is free for children and has art and natural history under one roof, so a family can split up and meet at the café.
Visiting the big cities? See London with kids on a budget and Paris with kids on a budget.
Tickets & tours for these places
Bookable tours via GetYourGuide. Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
