Never quite seen so many music makers…read more There is a good kids attraction where they can do a scavenger hunt There is a guided tour that looks interesting Took about one hour for us to go through and feel like we were able to see everything

I seriously can't fathom why this museum is so poorly rated. This was probably my favorite museum…read moreon our trip. If you are going, make sure to take the TOUR. We made the 10:30am one. It's free and the young man, in addition to explaining what the automatons and musical instruments were and the history behind them, actually wound up all the ancient relics so you could see them in action. Some of this stuff is really old, which is mind boggling. Exceptional museum and so much fun (and I don't have children and am not a child!). A must-visit in Utrecht. Also, a separate note about Holland for those planning their trip. Utrecht and The Hague were our favorite cities. We found Amsterdam to be touristy and overrated. Delft is a nice day trip (20 minutes from The Hague) but don't go to the Delftware factory, it is a tourist trap. Skip Leiden: university town but not that interesting and not much in it.

This was a pleasant surprise! From the ship to the diverse objects, I really enjoyed discovering…read morethis museum. Unfortunately didn't have the time to see everything, but that' just another reason to visit Utrecht again.

Nice-sized museum - you can pretty much see the whole thing in less than 3 hours…read more * Great 700- or 1000-year old ship in the basement * The Dick Bruna studio on the top floor is really great. * Manageable collection of art * Modern Furnishings collection Parking nearby is quite expensive.

This is a very interesting science museum. We brought our grandchildren. They had been before…read more There was a special live snake exhibit of local reptiles. They loved being able to see them up close and touch them. Another favorite was the panning for gems room. We ate lunch in the cafeteria and I thought it was reasonably priced.

This was the best science museum I've ever experienced! Several years have passed since we visited,…read morebut after going to several other science museums this remains by far the best! There were so many exhibits to explore, including an outdoor patio with sundials, a bar and a breathtaking view of Amsterdam! This is a great place to go on holiday with the entire family. There was even a floor devoted to health and sexuality for preteens, which was informative and took the awkwardness out of learning.

Fantastic visit and one of the best museums I have been to…read more Professional and educational.

The Naturalis Museum, or, to give it its English name, the Museum of Natural History, is an…read moreenormous natural history museum in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. The museum is a new building, situated on 4 floors and is located near to the university, opposite the site of the famous mental hospital. I apparently houses over 10 million objects. Upon entering the museum there's an option to plan your visit using a map on the wall, get a coffee from the cafe, or use the toilets. There's a reception desk for purchasing tickets for entry into the museum, though this is rather small and queues are large. There's no way of the staff actually making sure everyone who enters has paid, as it's on one side of a large foyer, which is always crowded with people going in all different directions, or just standing around. After the reception area is a shop which mainly sells books on things related to natural history - dinosaurs, animals, fish, plants etc, but also a few toys and games and the usual gift shop items. Further on is a section on dead animals. There are a lot of wooden drawers filled with bones. It's interesting, in a sense, but I thought it a bit boring to have to open lots of drawers looking at bones. Past this section there's a bridge and in the centre of the bridge there's a bull, called Hermann, who was the first genetically-modified cow in the world. Further on is nature theatre, with displays of all types of stuffed animals, including dinosaurs. The other floors focus on specific topics and exhibitions, such as rocks and crystals, or the Earth. There are various interactive elements and games, in Dutch, English, German and French, which adds an interesting element to the museum. Everything is very colourful which gave me the impression that the museum is aimed at young children.

Fantastic for kids and those of us who still think like one. The museum hall has a good collection…read moreof steam trains but they allow you to roam around all the engines in their shunting yard, meaning you can get up close to the trains and carriages. The collection itself is a little smaller than the railway museum in York but being able to ramble around the actual tracks is a real bonus. Worth a visit.

This museum is wonderful for kids and adults who love trains!!…read more The Trains: There are plenty to see and even have interactive games and movies inside to keep kids busy. Don't forget to check out the trains parked outside. The rides: There are about 4 rides, but only the roller coaster may be a little too scary for kids under 6 years of age. I recommend parents check out the rides first. The gift shop : Has a huge selection of train related merchandise for both kids and adults. The restaurant : Has a pretty large menu and is reasonably priced. The toilets: Are free to use with admission. Overall, highly recommend!

Right on the ocean is this museum with large pieces of art. It's filled out into the public space…read moreon the ocean front as well. Very large exhibit before you even get in. This is a fantastic museum for large installations. And right on the beach makes it a great way to spend a few hours. Walk here, parking is super expensive.

Sculptures by the Sea was OK. We went in to the main part of the museum and were done in about 30…read moreminutes. They explained that there were more sculptures outside but we couldn't find them. We gave up and left to eat at one of the sea side restaurants. The actual sculptures that we did see were pretty cool, but nothing that really warrants a come back.

My kids spent hours here…read more The highlight was all the medieval exhibits - literally not a bad exhibit There is also a second floor talking about your green footprint that was always very educational

From the owner: Het Museon is een leuk populairwetenschappelijk museum. De tentoonstellingen en activiteiten gaan…read moreover de mens en onze planeet. ONE PLANET (de permanente tentoonstelling) gaat in op de belangrijkste voorwaarden voor een vreedzame, rechtvaardige en veilige wereld: een eerlijke verdeling van voedsel, water en energie en aanvaarding van verschillen in culturele identiteit. Maak een interactieve ontdekkingsreis langs 17 thema's waar verschillende wereldwijde problemen met mogelijke oplossingen worden gepresenteerd. Iedere uitdaging is gerelateerd aan één van de 17 duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen van de Verenigde Naties. Waar komt ons eten vandaan en wat eten we over vijftig jaar? Wat doen we om onze zeeën te beschermen? Welke energie gebruiken we nu en in de toekomst? Voeren we straks oorlog om drinkwater? Kijk op www.museon.nl voor alle tijdelijke tentoonstellingen en activiteiten.

I loved seeing this. I was also lucky enough to see the demonstration apartment across the street…read more The Rietveld Schroderhuis is like a Mondrian painting from the outside- and Rietveld did correspond with Mondrian, and they definitely shared artistic sensibilities. The Schroderhuis is partly a reaction to the architecture of the time - but it's so much more. The sliding walls are ingenious, and the look and feel of the house is quite amazing. If you enjoy art and architecture, you will enjoy your visit here. It is a small but special museum. It is not for the handicapped- there is no way to make it accessible. There are stairs- and at one point they have no rails, and you can't touch the walls- for obvious reasons. So bear that in mind. It is on the outskirts of town, and about 25 minutes walk from the city center. It is NOT a good museum for children- as it is important none of the valuable furnishings or fixtures be touched.

First of all, if you appreciate museums at all, this is a must-see place in Amsterdam!!…read more Yesterday morning we lined up at about 8:50 before museum opening at 9. We had purchased tickets online ahead of time and figured the earlier the better. We spent 3.5 hours here and made sure to see every aspect, spending more or less time in exhibits depending on our interest. The gift shop is extensive and worth a look around as well. There's a restaurant and cafe as well which look great. Getting a map as you enter is helpful. The museum is subdivided by floor (0 through 3), and time period, with 1900-2000 on the top floor. There's a coat check if you wish on the 0 floor, alongside the bathrooms. May I mention that I love that most public bathrooms here are stalls with floor-to-ceiling doors?! The privacy is much nicer, and the doorknob indicates vacant/occupied so you don't have people looking at your feet to decide if it's empty. lol. We experienced the galleries basically in chronological order. The special collections are cool in that they are historical artifacts, lovingly preserved, such as old swords/guns, locks/keys, tea services, clothing and glassware, to name a few. My favorite artifact was a chessboard which had animal images subtly etched into the metal of each space. (See photo). We spent a good chunk of time in the 1300s galleries, where the sculptures, paintings, and artwork often depicted scenes from Jesus' life, Biblical stories, or morality themes. One sculpture was of the two thieves on Jesus' either side during the crucifixion, showing one of them with an angel above his shoulders because he was headed to heaven. The Great Hall in between the main wings of the museum is a gorgeous expansive space with high vaulted ceilings, and floor to ceiling stained glass windows along one wall, paying tribute to the great painters, philosophers, architects, and musicians of Europe. There's an entire room full of elaborate 5- foot tall dollhouses that women of high class households (in the 1650s) would spend time curating, collecting, and creating , as a pastime and perhaps to save their husbands' the expense of renovating their actual homes. They had area rugs, wallpaper, the works! The Rijksmuseum opened in 1885, and is a historical monument worthy of patronage. Highly recommend!!!

I'm lucky enough to live right by the Rijksmuseum, so I see it every day, and let me tell you--it…read morenever loses its magic. Whether you're here for the Dutch Masters or just the stunning architecture, it's a world-class experience. The Museumkaart is a must: If you're planning on visiting more than 3-4 museums in the NL, get the Museum Card. The cost savings are huge. Even with the card, you have to reserve your time slot online in advance. Don't show up hoping to wing it; the popular slots vanish fast. When you're exiting or walking through the tunnel that goes under the building, watch out for the bike path! It's a major, high-speed commuter route for locals. It's easy to get distracted by the beautiful arches, but those cyclists don't play. Look both ways before you step out! It's the crown jewel of the Museumplein for a reason. Don't miss it.