NEMO Science Museum

NEMO is the Netherlands' largest science centre and one of the best rainy-day options in Amsterdam for families. Its roots go back to 1923, when the Museum van den Arbeid opened on the Rozengracht, and since 1997 it has occupied a distinctive green building by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. Rising from the water of the Oosterdok above the entrance to the IJ tunnel, the building looks like the bow of a ship, and it has become a landmark of the eastern harbour.

Inside, five floors are filled with interactive exhibits on physics, chemistry, technology, mathematics and the human body. Visitors are encouraged to touch, test and try things for themselves: setting off chain reactions, making giant bubbles, experimenting with light and sound, and taking part in live demonstrations in the museum's theatre spaces. Exhibitions on topics such as the brain, energy and growing up are aimed at different age groups, and staff run short shows and experiments throughout the day.

The museum is best for children of primary-school age and young teenagers, together with their parents, though curious adults will find plenty to do. Expect noise and energy rather than quiet contemplation, particularly during Dutch school holidays.

Tickets come with a start time, so book online in advance, and holders of the Museumkaart or I amsterdam City Card should also reserve a time slot. The museum itself notes that weekdays after 2pm are often quieter. NEMO is usually closed on Mondays outside school holidays, though it opens on selected Mondays, so check the calendar on the website before you go. Allow at least three hours, and longer with enthusiastic children.

The sloping roof of the building forms a public square with steps, a café and wide views over the old harbour and city skyline, and it is one of the best viewpoints in the centre. The museum is about a ten-minute walk east of Central Station along the waterfront. Het Scheepvaartmuseum, with its replica sailing ship, is a few minutes' walk further east, making the two an easy pairing for a family day out, and the central public library is just across the water.