In the Kingdom and the Gulf
| Place | Why go | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Ithra (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture) | A museum, library, theatre and exhibitions in a striking building, with a dedicated children's museum and science programmes all year. | Dhahran |
| Museum of the Future | An iconic building with interactive exhibitions on space, technology and nature, and a whole floor for children. | Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai |
| KidZania Dubai | A mini city where children try out jobs: pilot, doctor, firefighter and more. | The Dubai Mall |
Europe
| Place | Why go | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| The Science Museum, London | Halls on space, flight and inventions, with hands-on science galleries children love. | Free entry, South Kensington |
| The Natural History Museum, London | Dinosaur skeletons and nature halls in a grand historic building. | Free entry, next to the Science Museum |
| Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Paris | A huge science museum with hands-on halls and a planetarium, and the Cité des Enfants for ages 2 to 6, reopened in June 2026. | Parc de la Villette, Paris |
| The Deutsches Museum | One of the world's largest museums of science and technology, with aircraft, ships, mines and experiments. | Museum Island, Munich |
| Universeum | A science centre with an indoor rainforest, an aquarium and hands-on experiments for children. | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Explora children's museum | A museum where children learn through play, with a new Moon lab since September 2026. | Rome; timed, pre-booked visits |
| Science and Industry Museum, Manchester | Locomotives and steam engines in the world's oldest passenger railway station. | Free entry, Manchester |
| NEMO Science Museum | A hands-on science museum for children in a ship-shaped building, with a rooftop view over Amsterdam. | Near Central Station, Amsterdam |
| Copernicus Science Centre | One of Europe's finest hands-on science museums for children, with hundreds of experiments and a planetarium. | On the Vistula, Warsaw |
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Get a quote on WhatsAppThe United States
| Place | Why go | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Space Center | NASA's visitor complex: the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Rocket Garden and a bus tour around the launch pads. | About an hour east of Orlando, Florida |
| The Smithsonian museums | World-class museums of natural history, air and space, most of them free. | National Mall, Washington |
| The American Museum of Natural History | Dinosaur skeletons and the hall of whales, great for children. | By Central Park, New York |
| Intrepid Museum | A real aircraft carrier carrying the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a Concorde and a submarine you can walk through. | Pier 86, New York |
| Fernbank Museum of Natural History | A giant dinosaur hall led by a roughly 37-metre Argentinosaurus. | Atlanta |
Asia
| Place | Why go | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| ArtScience Museum | A lotus-shaped building with art and science exhibitions and interactive light rooms. | Marina Bay Sands, Singapore |
| teamLab museums | Digital worlds of light and water that respond to your movement, loved by children and adults alike. | Tokyo; book ahead, Planets is open until the end of 2027 |
Tips before you go
- London's Science Museum and Natural History Museum stand side by side and are free, so give them one day together.
- Book the Museum of the Future, Kennedy Space Center and teamLab ahead, as tickets sell out in holidays.
- Mornings and weekdays are calmer for children, and temporary exhibitions are usually ticketed separately.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the best-known science museum for children in Saudi Arabia?
Ithra in Dhahran, with a dedicated children's museum, exhibitions and science programmes all year.
Where can I see a real space shuttle?
At Kennedy Space Center near Orlando (Atlantis) and the Intrepid Museum in New York (Enterprise).
Are London's science museums free?
Yes, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum are free; temporary exhibitions are ticketed.
Last updated: October 2026. The information is for guidance only; ticket prices and opening hours are set by each attraction and may change, so check them on the official website before you go.