Amsterdam With Kids: Artis and NEMO
Not every Amsterdam attraction is built for a family day. Two genuinely are, and pairing them beats trying to squeeze a Museumplein art museum in between naps and snack breaks.
Artis Royal Zoo: one of the world’s oldest, with an aquarium built in
Opened in 1838 in the Plantage district, Artis is one of the oldest zoos anywhere and includes an on-site Aquarium and Planetarium in general admission. Online ticket prices vary by age bracket and time slot, running from about EUR 17 at the lower end up to just over EUR 25 depending on which bracket and slot you book, with children under 3 admitted free; more expensive rates apply at the gate than online, so booking ahead is worth doing on price alone. Combo tickets bundling Artis with Micropia, the microbe museum, and the Groote Museum start from EUR 39. Check current Artis ticket brackets directly before booking, since the age-bracket pricing is worth confirming rather than assuming.
NEMO Science Museum: hands-on galleries plus a free rooftop
NEMO’s kid-built, hands-on galleries make a genuinely different day from Artis rather than a repeat of it, and the free rooftop terrace (no museum ticket required) adds a panoramic view on top. Pairing Artis and NEMO as a full day, rather than picking one, uses the different registers well: animals and aquarium in one half, hands-on science in the other. Book NEMO Science Museum tickets for the exhibits ahead of a visit.
Two attractions that need an age caveat
The A’DAM Lookout’s “Over the Edge” swing is height-restricted and nerve-dependent, better suited to older kids and teens than young children who might be frightened rather than thrilled by it. The Madame Tussauds and Amsterdam Dungeon combo ticket is a similar case: Madame Tussauds works for most ages, but the Dungeon’s horror-history framing skews toward older kids and teens, and presenting it as suitable for young children without that caveat sets up a bad afternoon.
A cheaper family pairing outside the city
Marken and Volendam make a genuinely kid-friendly day trip: cheese-tasting stops, clog demonstrations, and a ferry ride between the two villages that children generally enjoy on its own merits. Our day trips guide covers the transport details for getting there.
Book Artis for a weekday morning rather than a weekend afternoon; the on-site Aquarium and Planetarium both get genuinely crowded on weekend afternoons in a way that changes the pace of a visit with younger kids.