NEMO Science Museum

NEMO is Amsterdam's big, hands-on science museum — five floors of experiments inside a striking green building, shaped like a ship's hull, rising out of the water near Central Station. It's a family favourite.

What to see

Children and curious adults can run experiments, blow giant bubbles and explore how the world works across themed floors.

Up top, the stepped rooftop terrace gives one of the best free views over the old city — you can climb it even without a ticket, weather permitting.

Good to know

It's a short walk east of Central Station, over the water. Book online at busy times; the rooftop is free and open in good weather.

Allow a couple of hours, especially with children.

Designed by Renzo Piano, NEMO is as much an architectural landmark as a place to discover science. Its curved form responds to the entrance of the IJ road tunnel beneath it, connecting the building to Amsterdam’s transport infrastructure. The museum’s origins go back to 1923, long before its current home existed. That history gives this outwardly futuristic institution a deeper place in the city’s tradition of making knowledge accessible to the public.

Rather than approaching the galleries as a checklist, let a question or an unexpected result guide your visit. The experience works best when you pause to compare what you thought would happen with what actually happens, then give it another try. Afterwards, continue towards the nearby Oosterdok waterfront and the Maritime Museum to put the science into a different context: this part of Amsterdam brings engineering, water and the city’s maritime history into close conversation.