Amsterdam for Kids

Our Local Expert Says:

Great for adults and kids, this is a peaceful oasis within walking distance of the city centre.

Description:

Established in 1838, this is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and houses more than 6,000 animals from 1,400 species in excellent conditions, not normally associated with a city zoo. The zoo is themed into continents and combines native plants and animals. There's also an excellent Planetarium and a Geological and Zoological Museum. The Aquarium, built in 1882 and renovated in the late 1990s, is superbly presented, particularly the sections about the Amazon River, coral reefs, and Amsterdam's own canals. Finally, there's a children's farm, where kids can help tend to the needs of resident Dutch species, including moorland sheep, long-haired Veluwe goats, and tufted ducks. Enhancements proceed apace: An Insectarium opened in 2005 and a Butterfly Garden in 2006. In 2011 a further expansion and upgrade of the zoo is taking place. Outside of the zoo entrance are a number of excellent cafes and restaurants which cater for the locals just as much as visitors.

Description:

At NEMO, embrace your inner child and use all five senses to learn about science and technology in a hands-on environment, with subjects ranging from elements and energy to sports performance and space. If you need a break, head to the roof terrace, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the harbor view. NEMO is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and Mondays in June, July and August. Admission is €13.50, ages four and up. You can also host an event or bring your school group.

- Jessica E. Lipowski, Amsterdam Local Expert

Description:

You enter through a gloomy tunnel, and emerge with a new appreciation of why the framers of the U.S. Constitution outlawed cruel and unusual punishment. Yet one suspects the motives of the Torture Museum -- and its visitors? -- are not purely educational. There's a horrible fascination with devices such as the Inquisition chair, the guillotine, and assorted grotesque implements of torture, punishment, and "redemption" favored by civil and ecclesiastic authorities in times not-so-far gone, if gone at all.

Our Local Expert Says:

Best pancakes!

Description:

Climb the very narrow stairs and you will find yourself in Pannenkoeken Upstairs, quite possibly Amsterdam's smallest restaurant, and definitely the best place to get pancakes. Located in one room with only a few tables, you can chat with the owner as he prepares your pancake in a small corner of the room. From the ceiling hang many teapots, adding to the offbeat, quirky style of this restaurant.

Description:

If you like your celebrities with a waxen stare, don't miss the Amsterdam version of the famous London attraction. It has its own cast of Dutch characters (Rembrandt, Queen Beatrix, Mata Hari), among a parade of international favorites (Churchill, Kennedy, Gandhi). Exhibits bring you face to face with waxwork images of the powerful and famous and allow you to step into the times, events, and moments that made them so. The Dutch 17th-century display is magnificent. Cannons roar in the war of liberation against Spain, Rembrandt and Vermeer get busy with their paints, and you can stroll through the streets of Golden Age Amsterdam. More recent Dutch figures get a nod, too, like van Gogh with his sunflowers and Piet Mondrian and a red-yellow-and-blue canvas. Among the characters portrayed -- and often brought to life with memorabilia such as paintings or a smoking cigarette -- are world leaders, religious leaders, stars, artists, and writers: Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Michael Jackson, Madonna, David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, and many more.

The Music Zone has a disco floor and video footage, music, and pictures...

Description:

Skip the line! Purchase your ticket to The Amsterdam Dungeon ahead of time to take advantage of jumping the queue and gaining fast track entry. Don't waste time waiting in lines on vacation!

Take a step back into Holland's gory past with a trip to the Amsterdam Dungeon. Live actors, shows, a fantastic rollercoaster ride and interactive special effects ensure that you face your fears head on in this unique experience. Everything that you see is based on real historical events from the chilling story of the Spanish Inquisition, to life on board a VOC ship, torture and the plague.

With the spooky mirror maze Labyrinth of the Lost and thrilling rollercoaster Reaper: Drop Ride to Doom as a fabulous finale, the Amsterdam Dungeon provides a thrilling and fun experience that will leave you screaming for more! A day out for the family based on pain, fear, torture and death, are you brave enough?

Description:

The Bloemenmarkt, or Flower Market, is one of Amsterdam's most famous attractions. In the summer, the market is full of bouquets of the country's tulips, but beautiful flower arrangements of other varieties can be found year-long. It is here that you can also buy bulbs for all sorts of varieties of unique tulips, including certified bulbs that can be exported. But aside from flowers, the flower market is lined with souvenir shops containing every typical souvenir from Holland you can imagine.

Description:

Amsterdam's only traditional cake parlor, this place might look like a coffee shop from the outside, but inside the true colors shine through. The tables are cloaked not with tablecloths but with rugs, an old Dutch tradition; this is one detail that makes absolutely anyone feel right at home in this cake shop. From the sweet-smelling and gorgeously decorated cakes to the strong coffee and tea, this place is a delight to all of the senses. Whether coming from the Heineken Brewery or the Albert Cuyp Market, this is THE place to stop for your afternoon sugar or caffeine fix.

Description:

One of the city's most intriguing museums belongs to the Royal Institute for the Tropics, a foundation devoted to studying the cultures of tropical areas around the world. Its focus reflects Holland's centuries as a landlord in areas such as Indonesia, Surinam (on South America's northern coast), and the Caribbean islands of St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The Tropical Institute building complex alone is worth the trip to Amsterdam East; its heavily ornamented 19th-century facade is an amalgam of Dutch architectural styles: turrets, stepped gables, arched windows, delicate spires, and the monumental galleried interior court -- a popular spot for concerts.

The museum's approach to its subject has matured considerably from its original 19th-century colonial pride and condescension -- indeed, it's become an antidote to those kinds of views. Its representation of contemporary issues such as the causes of poverty in the developing world and the depletion of the world's tropical rain forests is both considered and balanced.

The most interesting exhibits are the walk-through model villages and city-street scenes that, except for the lack of genuine inhabitants,...

Description:

This museum is located on the Hendrika Maria, a former commercial sailing ship built in 1914. On board, the visitor obtains information on the nature of this special lifestyle, living on a boat that never moves, which is so unique to Amsterdam. The deckhouse, where the shipper's family resided, is still in place, including the cupboard bed. The former cargo hold has now been converted into comfortable living space. Ship's models, photos and slides complete the tour. See website for photos, routes, visitor details and more.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Best Apple Pie in Town

Description:

Winkel 43 is a small café tucked away in the corner of the Noordermarkt. On a market day you can go shopping at all the interesting arts & crafts and food stalls, or at one of the many small shops in the neighborhood. But make sure you stop at Winkel 43 or you'll miss out on the best apple pie in town. This title is bestowed on the pie by the Dutch themselves, so the place is always packed.

Description:

Rederij Kooij offers hour-long canal cruises departing every half hour from locations around the city, and available in 8 languages. See the website for more location details.