Gone are the days when museums were ostentatious buildings with touch-me-not exhibits, where you felt like the chatter and inquisitive fingers of children would be frowned upon. While many modern museums include family-friendly exhibits, some are truly made for the young-at-heart. Here are museums to visit during the upcoming school holidays.
1. Singapore: KidsSTOP, Science Centre Singapore
A dedicated children’s science gallery within the larger Science Centre campus, KidsSTOP offers roughly 3,000m² of interactive zones for children aged 8 and under, designed to spark inquiry, experimentation and imaginative play.
Kids can role-play real-world scenarios (like grocery stores or urban planning), explore mini ecosystems and tinker with hands-on exhibits. The gallery operates separately from the main centre, with its own ticketing, and is tailored to younger minds.
2. Tokyo: Small Worlds Miniature Museum
Step into a pint-sized universe at Small Worlds Miniature Museum in Ariake, Tokyo, where imagination meets engineering. Spanning over 7,000m2, this indoor attraction is one of Japan’s largest miniature theme parks, with six intricately crafted “worlds” featuring bustling cityscapes, anime scenes, airports and even a lunar base.
Every model moves – trains glide, planes taxi and lights flicker to simulate day and night. Visitors can peer through transparent walkways for a bird’s-eye view or even 3D-scan themselves into a miniature figurine. It’s a fascinating blend of storytelling and technology that delights children and adults alike, just a short ride from central Tokyo.
3. Bangkok: Children’s Discovery Museum
The Children’s Discovery Museum, located beside Chatuchak Park, transforms learning into full-body play. Spread across more than 10,000m2, its three buildings and outdoor zones brim with activities: from fossil digs and bubble-making to eco-energy experiments and water play. A role-playing “City” lets kids explore real-world professions, while workshops nurture curiosity through art and science.
The open lawns and colourful water park add to its holiday-vibe charm. Entry is free, making it a family favourite among locals and tourists alike – an ideal respite between temple visits and market strolls in vibrant Bangkok.
4. Paris: Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
Europe’s largest science museum, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris turns complex ideas into hands-on fun. Housed within Parc de la Villette, its 30,000m2 of exhibits explore everything from genetics and robotics to deep-sea exploration.
Children flock to La Cité des Enfants, a dedicated wing for ages 2 to 10 where play equals discovery: think mini-construction sites, sensory tunnels and water experiments. Families can also tour the decommissioned Argonaute submarine or stargaze in the planetarium. Easily reached via Métro Line 7, the Cité’s immersive, multilingual displays make science accessible for visitors of all ages.
5. Amsterdam: Wereldmuseum Junior
Part of the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, Wereldmuseum Junior has been nurturing global curiosity since 1975. Designed “by and for children”, it invites ages 6 to 13 to see, touch, experience and participate. Each exhibition transforms into an immersive “world” – from Indonesian islands to African villages – where kids learn through music, art and storytelling.
Workshops encourage them to create, perform and share their own perspectives. The museum’s award-winning pedagogy emphasises empathy and cultural understanding over textbook facts. Located near Artis Zoo in the Plantage district, Wereldmuseum Junior is both playful and an exploration of humanity.
6. Dubai: OliOli Children’s Play Museum
OliOli, meaning “joy” in Hawaiian, lives up to its name as Dubai’s most innovative play museum. Spread across eight themed galleries, it blends art, science and imagination through more than 45 interactive experiences. Children can launch air cannons, build wind-powered cars, splash through the Water Gallery or watch glowing threads dance in Glowtopia.
Every space, from Toshi’s Nets (a giant, crocheted climbing sculpture) to the toddler-friendly Baby Gallery, is crafted for open-ended exploration. Parents are encouraged to join in, ensuring playtime becomes family time. With an on-site café and workshops, OliOli is pure creative wonder under one roof.
7. Seoul: Seoul Children’s Museum
Situated within Children’s Grand Park, the Seoul Children’s Museum invites young minds to “design happiness” through interactive learning. Its six-storey building (three above ground, three below) houses themed zones such as Space, Construction and Nature, each designed to teach through movement and touch.
Kids can build structures, experiment with air tunnels, observe ecosystems or explore the mysteries of the cosmos. Exhibits are bilingual (Korean and English), ensuring accessibility for tourists. Affordable admission and family-focused programming – from weekend art classes to science shows – make this museum a must-visit stop on any Seoul itinerary.
8. San Francisco: Exploratorium
Perched on Pier 15 along the Embarcadero, the Exploratorium is a hands-on playground where science, art and curiosity collide. Founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, this vast waterfront museum houses more than 700 interactive exhibits exploring perception, physics, biology and light.
Kids can crawl through the pitch-dark Tactile Dome, walk across the misty Fog Bridge or tinker with optical illusions and magnetic waves. Even the outdoor deck doubles as a learning lab overlooking the Bay. With its in-house Seaglass Restaurant and Seismic Joint Café, the Exploratorium proves that play and discovery can be deliciously intertwined for visitors of every age.
9. London: Young V&A
Once the Museum of Childhood, this institution in London’s Bethnal Green district reopened in mid-2023 as Young V&A. It offers a unique insight into how children might have lived, played and thought through the ages. The national collection of childhood-related artefacts that date from the 17th century till the present include the earliest surviving English rocking horse, early dollhouses and miniatures, as well as a seemingly infinite number of games and toys.
Besides rare hand-crafted objects, baby items – like ceramic milk bottles, wooden walkers and over 6,000 pieces of garments worn by children throughout history – may fascinate visitors young and old. Part of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Young V&A also won the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024.
10. Saitama: The Railway Museum
Operate and ride on trains from the D51 steam locomotive – like Hiro in the popular children’s TV series Thomas & Friends – to the ultra-modern Shinkansen or “bullet” train on driving simulators. Assemble carriages and pretend to be a station master. Railway fans of all ages will enjoy these hands-on experiences at The Railway Museum where they can also view actual train cars, beautifully designed dioramas and learn about locomotives that date back to the early Meiji era.
The museum in Saitama City – just a half-hour train ride out of Tokyo – was built in 2007 as part of the East Japan Railway Company’s 20th-anniversary memorial project.
Feature image credit: Kirsten Van Santen for Wereldmuseum Junior.
This story was originally written by Mandy Lim Beitler for Singapore Press Holdings in November 2016. It has been updated by Rebecca Wong in October 2025.
For more information on Singapore Airlines’ flights to the above destinations, visit singaporeair.com.
