Culture, art and museums
When rain tries to spoil the fun, Amsterdammers head to Openbare Bibliotheek, Europe's largest library. An entire floor is dedicated to kids, featuring oversized furniture and storytelling sessions. Teenagers can browse music or movies and connect to the free Wi-Fi. The café on the 7th floor provides delightful city views.
Introduce the kids to the Dutch master painters by taking them to the Rembrandt House. The world famous Van Gogh Museum organises a treasure hunt where the winner takes home a special gift. Another worthwhile stop is the Neerlandia Building, which is the city's Hermitage Museum. Young visitors typically love the workshops organised here. The Tropenmuseum (Tropical Museum) also thrills the little ones with the sights and sounds of the tropic and sub-tropic regions.
The Nemo science museum is similarly educational, featuring theatre shows, workshops, films and interactive installations that facilitate learning through sight, sound and touch. Kids can don labcoats and perform laboratory experiments, produce purified water and even hoist their own body weight using pulleys. How's that for an educational family holiday in Amsterdam? Nemo's roof transforms into a beach during summer, with beanbags, drinks and sand – a perfect hangout for teenagers on holiday.
A family holiday in Amsterdam would be incomplete without a deeply sobering visit to the Anne Frank House. While not overly child-friendly, it's a beautiful and poignant way to introduce teenagers and young adults to the legacy of the Holocaust.
The Ontdekhoek discovery centre is a little out of town but accessible by metro. Here, kids can indulge in fun, educational activities including cooking potato chips, building a dam, making music by stamping a paper sheet with holes, roasting coffee beans and writing with an ink quill. These immersive workshops are very popular with local school groups.
Contrary to public opinion, Madame Tussauds is more than just a museum displaying stuffy kings, queens and other historical figures. Kids will absolutely love posing with E.T., getting dolled up in regal finery and testing their football skills in interactive exhibits.