Looking for a fun museum to visit with your children? These spots have been tried and tested — and more than approved! Here’s our list of the most kid-friendly museums in Antwerp. They’re listed in random order because honestly… they’re all fantastic!
Good to know: These museums aren’t specifically designed for children (like science museum Technopolis, for example). They welcome visitors of all ages, but their offering for kids is just so well thought out that even the youngest will have a great time. Let’s dive in!
Hi! I’m Helena, a cheerful thirty-something who loves to explore the world with my family. Looking endless inspiration for family outings in Europe? Make sure to follow along on Instagram or TikTok 🙂
1. Red Star Line Museum
The Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp is a wonderful place to visit with kids, even with the very youngest. In every gallery, you’ll find a suitcase filled with fun activities: games themed around the journey on the Red Star Line, drawing assignments, and more.
There are two activity tracks: one for younger children and one for kids aged six and up. Don’t worry if your children are different ages — you can just mix and match the activities.
Tip: bring a small backpack with snacks or a picnic. The beautiful honesty bar upstairs offers water, tea and coffee (you pay what you feel is fair), and you’re welcome to eat your own food there. Plus, there’s a big play corner for hungry little ones.
We easily spent three hours at the museum (including the bar), without a single dull moment. So what are you waiting for? Book those tickets!
2. KMSKA – Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
At most art museums, you spend your time reminding kids not to touch anything — not an easy job! But at the KMSKA, it’s the opposite. There’s an entire route of artworks where kids are encouraged to touch, crawl inside, or even climb on them. That makes it much easier for them to resist the rest.
Want to make a day of it? There are some fantastic playgrounds nearby. Check out my list of the best playgrounds in Antwerp Zuid.
3. DIVA – Museum of Diamonds, Jewelry and Silver
This was such a surprising highlight! Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, since DIVA is a fairly small museum compared to the first two on this list, and my kids aren’t especially interested in jewelry. But we had the best time!
There are so many interactive elements — perfect for little, curious hands. In the Vault Room, kids can open lockers to discover what’s inside. In another room, they can play the piano. Elsewhere, they’ll find big plastic diamonds to touch.
At the end of your visit, you can create a custom magazine cover (digitally downloadable), which was a big hit.
We visited during summer vacation and joined the “Schatten van Vlieg” treasure hunt. The girls collected a code that opened a treasure chest with an amazing prize: a voucher for a gemstone at the shop across the street. They were thrilled! (Note: the prize may change in future editions, but it shows how much effort DIVA puts into welcoming young visitors.)
4. Museum Plantin-Moretus
At the Plantin-Moretus Museum, you step right into the real home and workshop of the famous printing family. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, and simply wandering around is already an experience. The creaky floors, the grand paintings on the walls — you can feel the history.
But how about with kids? Turns out… it’s amazing! We joined a scavenger hunt looking for animals hidden throughout the house: in paintings, tapestries, carvings, and more. The museum cleverly designed it as a bingo game, so even our four-year-old could join in without needing to read.
Along the way, we discovered a Twister game, and best of all: during a printing demonstration, the kids got to help pull the lever and received a freshly printed poem to take home. Such a great outing!
5. MAS – Museum aan de Stroom
The MAS is an Antwerp icon: that striking red building on the Eilandje, with its rooftop terrace offering breathtaking views.
Inside, it’s especially fun for the youngest children (around ages 2–4). The seventh floor is completely designed for them: they can touch, climb, crawl, and explore freely. Unlike other museums, here the kids don’t roam through the whole building — instead, there’s a dedicated discovery space just for them.
For our seven-year-old, it didn’t hold attention as long, so keep in mind which age group you’re visiting with.
💡 Bonus tip: If you plan to visit more than one museum as a family, consider buying the Museum Pass. We saved quite a bit with ours (not sponsored, just genuinely happy with the purchase 🙂).
Want to explore more of Antwerp? Check out my favorite family-friendly things to do in the city.
