Museums Are a Parent’s Friend in Winter — Just Turns Out, Staying Local Doesn’t Always Win on the Kid-Friendly Score
The Lowdown:
One thing’s for sure: Amsterdam has no shortage of world-class museums. The catch? Many are naturally geared towards adults or older children — unless, of course, you happen to be raising a highly sophisticated four-year-old. Brilliant for us, less so when you’re hoping to make a morning of it with young children whose attention spans peak somewhere between the cloakroom and the toilets. If you’re after a museum outing that lasts longer than one child-friendly room and a quick detour to the café, here’s the secret: look beyond Amsterdam. Here are our top three picks for winter season museum outings:
Luchtvaartmuseum Aviodrome
Not technically a children’s museum — but you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was. There’s something here for every age at the Aviodrome: plenty of interactive exhibitions, excellent indoor and outdoor playgrounds and the simple, jaw-dropping joy of wandering through hangars filled with enormous aircrafts from different eras — some of which you can actually adventure inside.
If your child has been bitten by the aviation bug, this will be their aeronautical equivalent of Disneyland. And even if planes leave them largely unmoved, the Aviodrome is so impressively done — and so hands-on — that it still delivers a high-energy, thrill-filled day out. Consider it a guaranteed way to burn off winter energy… at ‘simulated’ altitude.
The Cherry On Top: The large impressive outdoor play area. Because at a certain age, the success of any outing is of course measured in energy burned.
Kinderboekenmuseum
Up next is the Kinderboekenmuseum (aka the Children’s Book Museum), right in the centre of The Hague. Quirky and seriously fun, it’s made up of a series of small rooms and larger exhibitions vibrantly themed around much-loved children’s books, all beautifully designed for imaginative, interactive play.
It’s hard to imagine a better way to nurture a love of reading while still delivering a genuinely fun day out. On the dreariest of winter days, this feels like a little pocket of cozy indoor magic — inviting children to step straight into the worlds of their favourite stories.
The Cherry On Top: Situated right in the centre of The Hague, a post-museum wander into Chinatown for lunch is a guaranteed hit with children.
Spoorwegmuseum
The stunning Spoorwegmuseum in Utrecht is another perfect example of a place that may not officially call itself a ‘children’s museum’ but is very clearly positioned as a children-first museum. It’s spacious (read: plenty of room for legs to run wild), packed with enormous steam trains, hands-on activities, rides, impressive theatre performances and a brilliant outdoor playground catering to different ages.
You could happily lose several hours here with children of all ages — and you may find yourself leaving newly impressed by things that go choo-choo.
The Cherry on Top: The journey there is part of the fun. A short train ride from Amsterdam to Utrecht Centraal, followed by a dedicated shuttle train that delivers you directly to the centre of the museum. Efficient, effortless and perfectly on theme.
