Are you planning to visit Amsterdam with children? The following is a listing of museums in Amsterdam that give children and young adults free entry.
As you will see below, there is a wide discrepancy of age ranges for museums offering free entrance. By careful planning you could potentially save a significant amount of money.
Amsterdam has a wide-range of museums that can provide visual, historical and educational stimulus for kids as well as plenty of fun activities.
There are 9 museums which give free entrance to those aged 17 and under – Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, EYE Film, Amsterdam Museum, Huis Marseille, Luther Museum, the Royal Palace, Van Gogh Museum and Willet-Holthuysen Museum. These could be the ones to target if you are on a tight budget.
There are a further 7 museums offering free entry up to 12 years old including the Diamond Museum, FOAM, Micropia, Oude Kerk (Old Church) and STRAAT Museum.
It should be noted that the museums and attractions that are of particular special interest to children – such as NEMO Science Museum, Artis Zoo and Johan Cruyff ArenA – only allow very young children free entry.
If you wish to visit some of these it may be worth investing in an Iamsterdam City Card for you and your child(ren) – this offers free entry to most of Amsterdam’s main museums and attractions and we have marked this in the table below. You can get value from this card but only if you plan to visit multiple museums.
The Iamsterdam City Card (1-5 days) offers free entry and discounts to numerous Amsterdam attractions and also includes a free transport pass, free canal cruise and bike rental as well. It costs €65 to €135. Read our full Iamsterdam City Card review here and learn how to maximise the card.  Free entry to over 40 attractions in Amsterdam including MOCO Museum, NEMO, A’DAM Lookout, Johan Cruijff ArenA Tour, ARTIS Zoo, Rijksmuseum, Hermitage, Nieuwe Kerk, Rembrandt House, Stedelijk and Hortus Botanical Gardens. You can order the Iamsterdam City Card online here |
Dutch residents should certainly invest in a Museumkaart for themselves and their children. Since this card is valid on an annual basis it is easy to get good value. Note, this card is difficult for non-residents to purchase.
Many Amsterdam museums offer special activities (such as treasure hunts) for children. Also note that 3 museums (*) have a separate children’s section – the Resistance Museum Junior, the Tropenmuseum Junior and the Jewish Museum Junior.
Free Child Entrance to Museums in Amsterdam (with age range)
| MUSEUM | CHILD AGES FREE ENTRY | Iamsterdam CITY Card FREE ENTRY? | Museumkaart FREE ENTRY? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rijksmuseum | 0-18 | Yes | Yes |
| Stedelijk Museum | 0-18 | Yes | Yes |
| EYE Film | 0-17 | Yes | Yes |
| Luther Museum | 0-17 | Yes | Yes |
| Huis Marseille | 0-17 | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Palace | 0-17 | NO | Yes |
| Van Gogh Museum | 0-17 | NO | Yes |
| Willet-Holthuysen Museum | 0-17 | Yes | Yes |
| Diamond Museum | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| FOAM Photography Museum | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| ARTIS Groote Museum | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| ARTIS Micropia | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| Oude Kerk | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| STRAAT Museum | 0-12 | NO | NO |
| Tot Zover Museum | 0-12 | Yes | Yes |
| Van Eesteren Museum | 0-12 | NO | Yes |
| Cat Cabinet | 0-11 | NO | NO |
| Hermitage Amsterdam | 0-11 | Yes | Yes |
| Nieuwe Kerk | 0-11 | Yes | Yes |
| Anne Frank House | 0-9 | NO | Yes |
| MOCO Museum | 0-6 | Yes | NO |
| Verzets Resistance Museum * | 0-6 | Yes | Yes |
| COBRA Museum | 0-5 | Yes | Yes |
| Fashion For Good Museum | 0-5 | NO | Yes |
| Jewish Cultural Quarter * | 0-5 | Yes | Yes |
| Rembrandt House Museum | 0-5 | Yes | Yes |
| Van Loon Museum | 0-5 | Yes | Yes |
| Houseboat Museum | 0-4 | Yes | NO |
| Johan Cruyff ArenA Stadium Tour | 0-4 | Yes | NO |
| Nxt Museum | 0-4 | NO | NO |
| Op Solder Museum | 0-4 | Yes | Yes |
| Het Schip Museum | 0-4 | Yes | Yes |
| Allard Pierson Museum | 0-4 | Yes | Yes |
| Museum of the Canals | 0-3 | Yes | Yes |
| Dutch Maritime Museum | 0-3 | Yes | Yes |
| NEMO Science Museum | 0-3 | Yes | Yes |
| Rembrandt’s Amsterdam | 0-3 | NO | NO |
| Tropenmuseum * | 0-3 | Yes | Yes |
| ARTIS Zoo | 0-2 | Yes | NO |
With many museums now charging €15-€20 it certainly makes sense to plan your itinerary in advance and take advantage of the more generous free entry policies.
Last updated 8 September 2022. This article was first published in 2013 and has been regularly updated.
