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Looking for something to do with the kids that's both educational and fun? Look no further!
One of our favourite things to do as a family, is to explore and play in the numerous science centers and natural science museums that exist in and around Luxembourg. Science and Natural Science Museums contain all the fun of a huge playground combined with learning, moments of astonishment, laughs and of course discussions, lots of discussions…all in one place; after all science is magical and magic is science. I am sure they will become also one of your family’s favourite destinations.
Luxembourg
→Luxembourg Science Center
Located in the city of Differdange, Luxembourg Science Center is relatively new but already a top favorite in the country. Numerous exhibits, science shows and lately the addition a planetarium makes the Luxembourg Science Center an excellent destination for families.
More than 80 experimental stations and maybe one of the few museums in the list (if not the only) with touch screens in 5 languages (!)
https://www.science-center.lu/
→ National Museum of Natural History
Located at one of the most beautiful locations in Luxembourg City, the Ground, this museum never disappoints. After a recent renovation the displays are very ‘’visitor friendly’’, the museum in most of its part allows “touching” therefore children love to push buttons, open drawers and look inside magnifying glasses. A cute little museum shop and a café are also available. In the indoor and outdoor areas of the museum, a yearly Science Festival takes place that attracts many visitors, especially schools and families but also general public showing interest in science. If you are lucky, you may see also the big science lab on wheels parked outside the museum with microscopes inside and the feeling of being in a real science laboratory. In addition, the museum often organizes workshops for children. As my kids say : “we love it”. Indeed we love it and I am sure you will love it too.
→ VITARIUM by LUXLAIT
An interesting concept by local company LUXLAIT combining mini science museum, guided tours of the LUXLAIT production facility, birthday party packages and even a kitchen where cooking workshops take place.
→ Park Sennesraich
Park Sennesraich is dedicated to the 5 senses, it is totally interactive and it expands both indoors and outdoors. Plenty of stations to explore, a mini science museum on the second floor, a great family restaurant and a beautiful garden with playground, bare foot path, and more stations to explore this park will become one of your favorite. Kids will love it as they will be able to touch everything…well…almost everything 😊
→ Henri Tudor Museum
A hidden gem … this small but very interesting museum is located in Rosport, takes its name by Henri Tudor, Luxembourgish inventor, engineer and industrialist and it’s mainly about electricity. Extra activities and workshops can be organized in the museum. When you visit don’t forget to stroll also in the beautiful garden. We have seen some of the most beautiful trees in that garden. Birthday parties are also possible. Before you visit it is highly advisable you contact the museum for details or check the website as the museum’s activity workshop is located in the same building as part of the primary school and the "maison relais" of the municipality of Rosport-Mompach.
Belgium
→ Museum Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels
Brussels has a lot of activities to offer for families. One of TravelmatKanner’s favorite is of course the Natural Science Museum. A rather big museum with amazing collections and fascinating exhibits around Dinosaurs. The museum is quite interactive and one of the big hits especially for smaller children is the sand pit where they can go look for dinosaur fossils and more.
https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/home
→ ILLUSION, Brussels
A small museum of the incredible. Elements presents maybe impossible, you can discuss with the children about what they see and try to understand how the tricks and illusions work. Definitely far from a boring visit in a museum don’t forget to take lots of fun photos.
https://illusionbrussels.be/en
→ HOUTOPIA, Houffalize
Sensorial, Fun, Interactive, with an amazing outdoors playground and not far from Luxembourg, Houtopia the sensorial interactive museum in Houffalize Belgium will not disappoint. It is dedicated to the 5 senses and can be explored even by small kids. We highly recommend to try on a Sunday as a small excursion and with good sunny weather to enjoy in full both indoors and outdoors.
→ Aquarium Museum, Liege
This museum is exactly what the name suggests: it is both a natural science museum with possibility to try science and experiments and an aquarium. The exhibits are rich, with the most impressive one being the huge skeleton of a whale that mesmerizes the kids with its big size. Of course excitement becomes bigger once the aquarium is approached “oh look mummy here’s Nemo’’ ‘’ oh look daddy here’s Dory’’…you get it ….
http://aquarium-museum.uliege.be/en/
→ Eurospace Center, Transinne
What about being an astronaut for a day?
Eurospace Center is an interactive museum around the theme of space, provides different space experiences like moon walk and mars walk, a planetarium but also individualized experiences for families, groups, schools and companies
https://www.eurospacecenter.be/en/
→ Prehisto Museum, Flemalle-Liege
A journey back to pre-history, with caves, indoors museum, outdoors exhibits, playground, family friendly restaurant and many activities like making fire (safe for children) same way our ancestors were doing, clay making workshop and more, this museum definitely worth a visit.
→ Source O’Rama, Chaudontaine
The first time we visited this museum with my family we were not sure what to expect.
It is actually a 2 parts museum: one is dedicated to the science of water and the other one in art but in a way that can be easily followed by children. The facility offers also an outdoors mini golf. Chaudfontaine area is great to explore, with many restaurant also so this is a perfect day out 😊
https://visitchaudfontaine.be/
→ SPARKOH, Frameries
A fantastic science center, with more than 12,000m2 of active exploration, suitable even for children as small as 3 years old offering also workshops, and a huge garden to enjoy the outdoors. Maybe not the closest in terms of distance to Luxembourg but definitely one worth visiting it.
Germany
→ Dynamikum
The Science Center “Dynamikum” is not far from Luxembourg. It is located in Pirmasens, and it is a perfect Science Center with the right size to offer nice experiences and not get too tiring even for small visitors. A beautiful outdoors area is also waiting families, with a small lake just outside the museum where families can stroll and enjoy a pic nic on a nice day.
→ Gondwana das Prehistorium
This museum is all about Dinosaurs and I must say one of the best family visits we had a few years ago. Not only offers the possibility to families to learn about Dinosaurs in an interactive way, it has a fantastic indoors playground and family friendly restaurant and one of the best “live” shows with Dinosaurs. Kids will love it !!! (You also 😊).
https://www.gondwana-das-praehistorium.de/en/home-en
→ Dinosaur Park Teufelschlucht
Not far from the borders from Luxembourg to Germany via Echternach, this outdoors park exhibits real life dinosaurs in a beautiful natural and green location outdoors, there is plenty of additional activities like dinosaur fossil search in the sand, stone fossils in the sand pit, a artistic/painting activity with mini dinosaurs, a science lab on demand for kids around the theme of dinosaurs, play ground and family friendly restaurant, a nice shop and more…
And if you still feel like exploring more you are in the middle of the Nature Park Teufelschlucht with beautiful hikes in the forest, a small visitors center like a mini natural museum and cute little wooden cabins where local producer sell their products (e.g. honey).
A nice day out 😊 extra tip: in the vicinity there is also the Irrel Waterfall to visit .
https://www.dinopark-teufelsschlucht.de/
Sensapolis, Experimenta and Technik Museum Speyer
To enjoy all these amazing venues in Germany, approximately 3hrs driving from Luxembourg we highly recommend a long weekend stay.
You will make amazing memories that children will never forget. Definitely some of the best places to visit for science and technology but also indoor leisure time in family.
https://www.experimenta.science/en/
https://speyer.technik-museum.de/en/
France
→ Cite des Sciences Paris and Palais de la Decouverte
Definitely a great visit once you are in Paris with kids. No more to say just go 😊
https://www.palais-decouverte.fr/fr/accueil/
→ La Vaisseau, Strasboourg
Maybe the best science museum we have visited around Luxembourg.
Modern, visitor friendly, with amazing stations, fully interactive, colorful, a treasure for the senses this visit you do not want to miss. La Vaisseau is definitely one of TravelmatKanner favorite and we can’t wait to be back. We highly recommend it.
→ Musee des Illusions Lorraine
This is a very small museum but full of illusions. Run by magician Mann Peter, who will also provide a fun magic show for children if you are a group of more than 10 people. Children had a lot of fun and could even perform some magic tricks.
https://museedesillusions.wordpress.com/
Netherlands
→ Nemo, Amsterdam
An absolute favorite, the science center in Amsterdam called Nemo, is a great venue to explore for the whole family. Many experiences and stations to explore, as well seeing the building that looks like a boat is an experience itself.
Amsterdam anyways is a beautiful city with many nice offering to families.
https://www.nemosciencemuseum.nl
→ Museum of Illusions, Maastricht
Illusions, fun, curiosity and many nice and interesting photos defying reality you can take of your children and family in this nice Museum in lovely Maastricht
https://maastricht.museumofillusions.nl/
→ Natural History Museum Maastricht
A nice museum of natural history, not the biggest we have been but with many nice exhibits focusing on the beauty and wealth of Limburg’s wildlife. The museum indeed as mentioned on its website will teach you everything about the influence of humans on the local landscape, plants and animals in the last 250,000 years.
Discover the insect room, have a peek at some animal mummies, check your bird call expertise and roam about our museum garden that dates back to 1913.
I would add the building is wonderful and has the sensation of an old classic era science laboratory with wood structures present.
A great visit for families.
→ CORPUS, Leiden
As we have not visited yet this museum we are quoting from its web page which sound very fascinating and it is definitely on our list of things to do in the Netherlands:
The CORPUS in Leiden offers a unique journey through the human body by literally going through a giant building shaped like a human body. The tour and exhibition explains how our bodies work, how the different organs relate to each other and what we can do to keep it healthy.
Discover the human body in a unique way: by going inside the knee and working your way up towards the brains, learning about each part in an exciting and intriguing way
Learn more about the different functions of the human organs and body parts
Don’t forget to make reservations in advance - the exhibition is quite popular
Have we missed anything? Drop a comment below and let us know!