Amsterdam is a very versatile city with a lot of different faces. For many people, the first things that come to mind when thinking of Amsterdam are the clichés; Red Light District or coffeeshops that sell marihuana. Not exactly the kind of topics that you’d link to a family holiday, but as stated before; Amsterdam is a city with many different faces. Does that mean that the clichés aren’t true? No, they are true, but beside the clichés there’s a lot more to explore!

Amsterdam, a great family destination in Europe

When you’re visiting Amsterdam with your family, there are still plenty of activities to choose from, whatever your personal interests might be. There’s a lot of art and history to learn about, but also plenty of attractions and museums that are interactive and especially fun for the youngest amongst us. With the aid of this article you and your family won’t be bored for a second! Tips in this article are shared with us by Thingstodoinamsterdam.com a website full of ideas on what to do in Amsterdam.

Art & History

First of all The Netherlands has a rich cultural background; the country was home to world famous artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh. So if you want to experience art history with your family, you should definitely pay a visit to the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum. If you prefer a more intimate setting the Rembrandt House, dedicated to Rembrandt van Rijn, offers a great alternative for the Rijksmuseum.

When looking for a deep dive into history there are plenty of museums to choose from in Amsterdam. If you’d like your family to learn more on WOII one of the museums that will sparks one’s imagination is the Anne Frank House. Here you’ll learn more about the holocaust and you’ll get to see the actual hide out where the girl from the world famous diary spend her days whilst the Nazi’s fought for racial purity. Make sure to buy your ticket for the museum long before arriving to avoid disappointments. No more tickets available? The Dutch Resistance Museum might be a good alternative; it focusses on how the Dutch Resistance fought the German occupation.

Other interesting museums in Amsterdam with a historical theme are;

• National Maritime Museum; learn how the growth of a small country was fueled by sailing the oceans in search of profit.

• Amsterdam Museum; how did Amsterdam become the city it is today? Learn all about the city’s history.

See & Do

Kids will be kids; they’re full of energy and wanting to play, touch, and try things out. Thus you might want to alternate art museums with some more interactive attractions for your youngsters. Luckily that can be arranged in Amsterdam! There are several museums and attractions where your kids can join in on the fun and participate in the action. Make sure not to miss out on the following things to with kids;

• Madurodam; the Netherlands already is a relatively small country, but it’s not as small as Madurodam. This theme park consists of miniature models of the country’s landmarks and highlights. In a playful manner your children will learn about water management, wind energy and more. Besides, there’s also room for a ballgame and making music for instance.

• Madame Tussauds; in the wax museum of Amsterdam you and your family can make as much selfies as you like with your favorite celebrities, whether it’s Justin Bieber or Madonna. In the Amsterdam wax museum some extra attention has been paid to Dutch celebrities, expect to find the Dutch Royal Family and Dutch DJ’s such as Afrojack and Armin van Buuren.

• Nemo Science Museum: this museum is a must-see for all little scientists in the making. This museum will take your juveniles on an educative trip along various interesting science related topics. Everything in the museum is interactive; get ready to conduct some experiments!

• Artis Zoo &Micropia: in Amsterdam you’ll find the local Zoo rather close to the city center. It is a small, but charming zoo that has been around since 1838. Next to Artis, in 2014 the doors of Micropia opened. This is the first, so called “microzoo” in the world, educating its visitors on the smallest forms of live; bacteria, molds and viruses.

• A’DAM LOOKOUT: this lookout tower will give you an amazing view over the city of Amsterdam and is open to public. Are you the proud parent of little thrillseekers? Children above 1 m 30 are allowed to try out the highest swing of Europe!

• The Amsterdam Dungeons:prepare for fun, but scary shows performed by real-life actors. The shows will take your whole family along some historical events that have made Amsterdam to what it is today. A fun and entertaining experience.

• BODY WORLDS: this museum by Gunther von Hagen is all about happiness and its effects on the human body. The museum features over 200 plastinated anatomical models that explain the effects of happiness on the human body.

We hope that with these tips you’ve found enough inspiration for your family trip to Amsterdam. Of course there still are plenty of things unmentioned yet; discovering the city by bike or taking a canal cruise for instance. If you have a little more time to spent, make sure to visit some cities outside of Amsterdam as well! Thanks to size of The Netherlands a whole new city with a totally different atmosphere is always within an hour travel by the well-organized public transport system. For more inspiration on other places in Holland make sure to pay a visit to Holland.com, the official website on tourism in The Netherlands.