Family Days Out: Fun Museums With More For Kids To Do Than Just Press Buttons

Interactive exhibits your kids will love ๐Ÿ”

Say the word โ€œmuseumโ€ to kids over a certain age and you can pretty much guarantee theyโ€™re not going to be jumping for joy at the idea of a day spent in an โ€œeducationalโ€ environment. Yet not all museums operate a strict โ€œlook, but donโ€™t touchโ€ policy - many exhibits are designed to keep children entertained for hours.

If youโ€™re heading out to somewhere with interactive exhibits like the Science Museum, why not call it a โ€œdiscovery centreโ€ to gauge their interest? There are tons of options around the UK, and weโ€™ve selected five of the best.

Eureka Museum, Halifax

Make sure you: Head to the โ€œSoundSpaceโ€ room, where kids can explore different sounds and discover how to make them.

Price: Free for under ones, ยฃ5.95 for one-two-year-olds, ยฃ12.95 for three+ (including adults).

Also known as the โ€œnational childrenโ€™s museumโ€, this place is completely targeted at ensuring kids have a fun and interactive day. Itโ€™s built to entertain children aged zero to 11 and has 400 exhibits designed to spark their curiosity. At different times of the year there are themed events put on, with workshops and activities, so itโ€™s worth checking before you go. Find out more here.

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The Roald Dahl Museum, Buckinghamshire

Make sure you: Try out โ€˜Chiddlers Hourโ€™, a session for toddlers aged 0-3 with 30 minutes of songs and storytelling and 30 minutes of free play.

Price: Under 5s free, ages 5-18 ยฃ4.40 and adults ยฃ6.60.

If your kids love โ€˜James and the Giant Peachโ€™ or โ€˜Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryโ€™, take them to the home of Roald Dahl, where he wrote his famous kidsโ€™ stories. Aimed at six to 12-year-olds, the museum gives kids the chance to look back at Dahlโ€™s life through quirky mementos and activities. If your child is an inspiring writer, it may even give them some ideas for their next story. Find out more here.

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Police Museum, Manchester

Make sure you: Go with kids a little bit older (ages four and above).

Price: Free.

Does your child get fascinated by police officers when they see them out and about? For whatever reason, a lot of kids do, so heading to the police museum in Manchester could be a great treat for them. Kids can discover the stories of cops and robbers while learning about local history in one of the cityโ€™s earliest police stations. They can explore where criminals were charged and fingerprinted and see the cells where they would often spend the night. The museum is open every Tuesday with free admission. Find out more here.

@gmpolice showing some of our younger officers the ropes! #openday #policeintraining pic.twitter.com/YF9LJoCgs2

โ€” GMP Museum (@GMPMuseum) August 29, 2017

National Space Centre, Leicester

Make sure you: Head to the solar system to get schooled in outer space.

Price: Under 5s free, child ยฃ11, adult ยฃ14.

This is the UKโ€™s largest planetarium, along with a 42-metre high rocket tower and six interactive galleries so, as you can imagine, itโ€™s a place that can keep kids occupied for hours - especially if you have any wannabe astronauts or scientists. There are themed exhibitions on at certain times of the year, so check here to find out whatโ€™s on. Find out more about the museum here.

Science Museum, London

Make sure you: Go to the Wonderlab.

Price: Free.

Adults and children will love the excitement of the Science Museum, with its games, simulators and interactive displays. The part your kids will most enjoy will probably be the โ€™Wonderlabโ€™, where there are exhibits and experiments they can play with alongside other children (free for under 3s or ยฃ8 for a day pass). Find out whatโ€™s on when you go and more information here.

Although many museums are free, some do charge an entry fee. If you do want to head to a free museum that may not have as much on, there are ways to make it more interactive? Ask at the front desk if they do any activity packs for kids in advance and if not, make your own.

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