Best Child Friendly Museums in Scotland

Now I know that the majority of schools have either broken up for the summer, or will be doing so in the next few days, but that doesn’t mean that the learning should stop. No, that doesn’t mean you should be holding lessons at home during the school holidays, instead why don’ t you try an educational (and fun!) day out? It’s much easier than you think, but to give you a bit of a hand in finding somewhere to go we’ve tracked down the best museums north of the border for the whole family.

The National Musuem of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland

Where else is there to start than with Scotland’s National Museum? Located on Chambers St right in the the middle of Edinburgh it’s a free entry museum that caters for all members of the family, especially the little ones! With a variety of galleries specifically for the kids they certainly won’t get bored on a trip round this museum as they find themselves excavating the skeleton of a dinosaur or getting kitted out ready for a dive down to the bottom of the ocean, amongst other great activities.

Kids are welcome throughout the museum, including in the Brasserie and Balcony Cafe, or if you’d rather take your own food you’re free to eat packed lunches within certain areas of the building.

The Glasgow Science Centre

Glasgow Science Centre by Marian Craig / CC BY-ND 2.0

Or, alternatively, there’s the Glasgow Science Centre. Part of a recent renovation to the Clyde Waterfront the centre features an IMAX cinema, the Glasgow Tower, and the main attraction, the Science Mall. With three storeys packed right up to the rafters with a wide variety of hands on, interactive exhibits designed to teach all about science, it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon as a family. Whether it’s taking a trip to the planetarium, experiencing the baffling illusions of the mind works or exploring the fascinating bodyworks you’re bound to have fun.

You’ll also be able to find the Elements Cafe, offering an array of tasty treats that includes a light option for the kids containing a butty, drink, some fruit and a dessert, all for just £3.50!

Our Dynamic Earth

Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh by dun_deagh / CC BY-SA 2.0

Again located in the heart of Edinburgh at the bottom of Hollyrood Road, Our Dynamic Earth is a museum like no other! Telling the tale of our planet, right from the big bang through to the present day it’s a fully immersive experiecne allowing you to feel the heat of a volcano or lose yourself in a tropical rainforest, and you’ll even have the chance to watch a film on Scotland’s only 360 degree dome theatre. And then there’s the Ocean Commotion soft play area, perfect for burning off any extra energy that the little ones might have.

Hopefully you’ll have found this useful, who knows, maybe you’re even planning a trip up to Scotland to try them out? If that’s the case make sure that you take a look at our selection of properties north of the Border so you have somewhere to rest your legs at the end of the day.