Big Museums with Kids: 8 Tips That Make the Visit Work

Why these tips

Museums have become much better at welcoming children, but each does it differently. Every tip below comes from what the museums on JuniorTravelClub actually offer.

1. Check who goes free

Many of Europe’s great museums cost nothing for children. The Louvre lets children in free, the Rijksmuseum is free for children and teenagers (they still need a booked time), and in London the Science Museum and Natural History Museum are free for everyone.

2. Head for the children’s area first

The best museums give children a space of their own: the Kinderreich at the Deutsches Museum, the Cité des enfants at the Cité des Sciences, PLAYLAB at the Leonardo da Vinci museum in Milan, and The Miniverse for toddlers at Experimentarium.

3. Borrow a stroller instead of bringing one

Several museums lend strollers free against ID: the Musée des Arts et Métiers and the Cité des Sciences in Paris, and the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Netherlands.

4. Ask for the family kit

Activity backpacks and trails turn a collection into a game. The British Museum lends backpacks and explorer trails at weekends, and the National Gallery of Ireland has free Family Packs and a kids’ audio tour.

5. Know where the quiet space is

For children who find crowds hard, some museums plan for it: the V&A lends child-sized ear defenders and has a Quiet Space, and the Manchester Museum has a quiet room and sensory bags.

6. Check the re-entry rule before lunch

At the Musée d’Orsay you cannot come back in on the same ticket, so breaks happen inside. The Museo Galileo in Florence lets you leave and return the same day.

7. Book the time slot

Timed entry is spreading. At the Rijksmuseum every child needs a starting time, and one booking holds a limited number of youth tickets, so large families may need two bookings.

8. Keep it short

One children’s area and a handful of rooms is a good visit. Choose the museums worth it with our list of the 10 best museums in Europe for kids.