For Families
Quick answer
The best museums for visiting with children — engaging, accessible, and genuinely interesting for younger visitors. World Museum Guide recommends 5 museums for this — starting with Natural History Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Science Museum — each with a full visitor guide covering admission, hours, and highlights.
Essential tips
- ✓ Natural history museums are consistently the best starting point
- ✓ Look for sensory-friendly and relaxed visiting sessions
- ✓ Plan 90 minutes maximum with children under 10
- ✓ Many museums offer free family trails and activity packs
Recommended museums
London, United Kingdom
Natural History Museum
Alfred Waterhouse's Romanesque-revival building opened in 1881 to display the natural-history collections that had outgrown the British Museum. The terracotta facade is decorated with sculptures of living and extinct species.
New York City, United States
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) on Central Park West is one of the world's preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, founded in 1869 and now encompassing 25 interconnected buildings across four city blocks. Its collections exceed 34 million specimens and cultural artifacts — among the largest holdings of any natural history museum on Earth.
London, United Kingdom
Science Museum
Founded in 1857 with material from the Great Exhibition, the Science Museum has grown to hold more than 300,000 items charting the history of science, technology, medicine, and industry.
London, United Kingdom
Victoria and Albert Museum
Founded in 1852 in the wake of the Great Exhibition, the V&A was conceived as a museum to inspire British industry and design education. It moved to its current South Kensington site in 1857 and has expanded continuously ever since.
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland occupies two adjoining buildings in Edinburgh's Old Town: the original Victorian Royal Museum building (1866), with its magnificent glass-roofed Grand Gallery, and the striking modern addition opened in 1998, clad in honey-coloured Clashach sandstone. The combined complex is one of Scotland's most visited attractions.