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Museums in Amsterdam with Free Entry for Children

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 8 museums which give free entrance to those aged 17 and under – Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, EYE Film, 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.

children at the nightwatch rijksmuseum amsterdam
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

There are a further 7 museums offering free entry up to 12 years old including the ARTIS Groote Museum, ARTIS Micropia, Diamond Museum, FOAM 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.

nemo science museum laboratory
NEMO Science Museum Amsterdam

If you wish to visit some of these it may be worth investing in an I Amsterdam 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.

Alternatively, the GO City card offers a children’s version of their card – however the selection of attractions is less than the I Amsterdam card.

Most attractions + city transport
Includes children’s version
Includes Van Gogh Museum
go city amsterdam digital pass
I amsterdam City CardGO City Amsterdam All-Inclusive PassTiqets Amsterdam Digital Pass
1/2/3/4/5 days1/2/3/5 dayspackage deal
€65 – €135€59 – €119€62
70 attractions + transport + canal cruise + bike rentalOver 25 attractions/tours + canal cruise + bike rentalRijksmuseum + Van Gogh Museum + canal cruise
excludes Anne Frank House / Van Gogh Museum / tours
excludes Anne Frank House / Van Gogh Museum / transportexcludes any other attractions
Book here Book here Book 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)

IAMS = I Amsterdam City Card / MK = Museumkaart

MUSEUMCHILD AGES FREE ENTRYCard FREE ENTRY?
Rijksmuseum0-18IAMS  MK
Stedelijk Museum0-18IAMS  MK
EYE Film
0-17IAMS  MK
Huis Marseille
0-17IAMS  MK
Luther Museum
0-17IAMS  MK
Royal Palace
0-17MK
Van Gogh Museum
0-17MK
Willet-Holthuysen Museum
0-17IAMS  MK
Diamond Museum0-12IAMS  MK
FOAM Photography Museum
0-12IAMS  MK
ARTIS Groote Museum0-12IAMS  MK
ARTIS Micropia0-12IAMS  MK
STRAAT Museum0-12
Tot Zover Museum0-12IAMS  MK
Van Eesteren Museum0-12MK
Cat Cabinet
0-11
Hermitage Amsterdam
0-11IAMS  MK
Nieuwe Kerk
0-11IAMS  MK
Embassy of the Free Mind0-10IAMS  MK
Anne Frank House
0-9MK
Our House0-6
MOCO Museum0-6IAMS
RTXP Amsterdam0-6
Verzets Resistance Museum
0-6IAMS  MK
Body Worlds Amsterdam0-5
COBRA Museum0-5IAMS  MK
Fashion For Good Museum
0-5IAMS  MK
Jewish Cultural Quarter
0-5IAMS  MK
Museum of the Canals
0-5IAMS  MK
Oude Kerk
0-5IAMS  MK
Rembrandt House Museum
0-5IAMS  MK
Tropenmuseum
0-5IAMS  MK
Van Loon Museum
0-5IAMS  MK
Allard Pierson Museum0-4IAMS  MK
Fabrique des Lumières 0-4
Houseboat Museum0-4IAMS
Johan Cruyff ArenA Stadium Tour
0-4IAMS
Museum Vrolik0-4
Nxt Museum0-4
Op Solder Museum0-4IAMS  MK
Het Schip Museum
0-4IAMS  MK
Dutch Maritime Museum
0-3IAMS  MK
NEMO Science Museum0-3IAMS  MK
Rembrandt’s Amsterdam0-3
Youseum Amsterdam0-3
ARTIS Zoo
0-2IAMS
Living Horse Museum
0-2MK
The UpsideDown Amsterdam
0-2

With many museums now charging €20-€25 it certainly makes sense to plan your itinerary in advance and take advantage of the more generous free entry policies.

Last updated 30 March 2023. This article was first published in 2013 and has been regularly updated.

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