Family Days Out in Utrecht
Families do well in Utrecht because the centre is compact, and many museums are free or cheap for children. This page is organised by age so you can see what suits your group. Prices are in euros, and card or phone payment is expected.
Ages 0 to 3
Babies and toddlers get in free at the Spoorwegmuseum (ages 0 to 3), the Kasteel de Haar (under 4) and the Dom Tower (ages 0 to 3), though the tower’s stairs make it a poor choice with a pram. The Centraal Museum lets all children aged 0 to 12 in free.
Griftpark, north of the centre, is free and open every day. It was built on a former gasworks site and has a large adventure playground with water pumps and a children’s city farm.
Ages 2 to 6
The Nijntje Museum, Agnietenstraat 2, was made for this group. It is the home of Miffy, created by Utrecht-born Dick Bruna in 1955. After a 2023 expansion it offers about 1,500 square metres of play and learning space. There are no door sales, so reserve online at nijntjemuseum.nl before you travel. It sits across the street from the Centraal Museum.
Ages 4 to 12
The Spoorwegmuseum, Maliebaanstation 16, charges 19.50 euros for each person aged 4 and over. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and on Mondays in school holidays. An NS train goes about once an hour from Utrecht Centraal to the museum’s own stop. The museum’s site, spoorwegmuseum.nl , explains the free slot that Museumkaart holders must reserve.
Museum Speelklok, Steenweg 6, fills a hall with working organs and clockwork. A tour starts at half past each hour from 10:30 to 15:30. Younger children can follow Organ Monkey Toetsie on a scavenger hunt. Admission prices are on the museum’s page .
At the Universiteitsmuseum Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, children carry out experiments in five interactive zones and look at skeletons and specimens. The museum reopened in September 2023 and is joined to the Oude Hortus, a botanical garden dating to 1723 with giant water lilies.
The Dom Tower climb costs 8.50 euros for ages 4 to 12 and involves 465 steps. Guided groups move at a steady pace, so it suits older children who walk well.
Ages 8 and up
DOMunder, the 75-minute underground tour with a flashlight guide, is recommended from age 8. Children pay 10 euros, and the booking is at domunder.nl .
Teenagers may enjoy a rowing boat or Canadian canoe on the Kromme Rijn from De Rijnstroom (15 euros an hour for a canoe), and Rhijnauwen has a pancake house at the end of the paddle. Check the operator’s age rules when you reserve.
A castle trip
Kasteel de Haar in Haarzuilens, west of the city, charges 21.50 euros for castle and gardens, or 13.50 for ages 4 to 12. The English-style gardens can be visited without a booking.
No zoo in the city
Utrecht does not have a zoo. DierenPark Amersfoort is a short train ride away, followed by a bus, and Ouwehands Dierenpark in Rhenen is about 35 minutes by train.
Safety with children
The sunken canal wharves have no railings, so keep children away from the water’s edge. The red cycle lanes belong to cyclists, who move fast and quietly.
Read more: Sightseeing in Utrecht covers the main landmarks.
Booking help
Family-friendly tours can be searched on GetYourGuide .