NEMO Science Museum

NEMO is the place to take children in Amsterdam, and its building is one of the city's landmarks. Designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and opened in 1997, it rises like the prow of an enormous green copper ship from the water of the Oosterdok, built directly over the entrance to the IJ tunnel, a few minutes' walk east of Centraal station. Inside are five floors of interactive science, almost all of it designed to be touched, pushed, built or played with rather than read. You can generate electricity, set off chain reactions, experiment with light, sound and water, find out how your brain plays tricks on you, and take part in shows and demonstrations in the labs and theatres, where staff make science loud, messy and memorable. The exhibitions are aimed mainly at children of roughly six to sixteen and their families, but plenty of adults enjoy them just as much, and some floors explore subjects such as the human body, growing up and the digital world in a way that suits teenagers. On top of the building, a broad stepped roof square, reached by a long outdoor staircase, gives sweeping views over the harbour, the old city and the IJ; it is a popular sunset spot in summer and has historically been free to climb even without a museum ticket. NEMO is very busy on rainy days, weekends and in school holidays, and usually closed on Mondays outside the holidays, so book timed tickets online and arrive at opening for the calmest experience.

What it is like: NEMO is loud, bright and busy, more playground than museum, and that is exactly why children love it. Each floor has a theme, and the best approach is to let kids choose what grabs them rather than trying to see everything. The large chain-reaction show and the demonstrations in the lab spaces run at intervals during the day, so check the schedule when you arrive and plan around them. Teenagers tend to enjoy the upper floors, which tackle more grown-up subjects. Younger children under about six will still have fun, but much of the content is pitched a little older, so keep visits short with toddlers.

Visiting well: book online, because NEMO is one of the most popular family attractions in the Netherlands and rainy days in school holidays can be very crowded. Arrive at opening and head to the top floors first, working down as the crowds build. There is a café inside, and many families bring snacks for the roof square. The building has lifts, but on busy days strollers are awkward, and a carrier is easier. NEMO renewed its roof in recent years while staying open, and the roof square occasionally closes for maintenance or bad weather, so if the view matters, check the museum's notices before you go.

Around NEMO: the Maritime Museum, with its replica VOC ship, is a short walk east along the water, and the two together make a classic family day. The Amsterdam Public Library, with its free top-floor view, is across the bridge on the Oosterdokseiland, and Centraal station is ten minutes away on foot. In good weather, cross the IJ on the free ferry from behind the station to Noord for the A'DAM Lookout or the NDSM wharf. If the children still have energy, ARTIS zoo and the Plantage are a short tram ride away. Do not be put off by the industrial approach past the tunnel entrance: once you reach the steps, the harbour views make it worthwhile.