Europe Day 9 May: free museum days and family attractions across the EU

Free museum days are one of the best-kept secrets of family travel in Europe: in many EU cities, children get into great museums for nothing on certain days, or even every day. Europe Day on 9 May has just been celebrated, and with the European elections coming up from 6 to 9 June 2024, it is a good moment to explore the EU's capitals with kids. Here are the best cities for free and low-cost family attractions.

Why now: Europe Day and the European elections

Europe Day celebrates the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, the start of today's European Union, and spring is the perfect season for a European city break. International Museum Day on 18 May and the European Night of Museums bring free events and special family programmes to many museums.

With the European elections in June, the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg are in the news. Their visitor centres are free and designed for all ages, so kids can learn how Europe works in a playful way.

Top 7 destinations for free museum days and family attractions

Brussels and Strasbourg are the EU classics, Luxembourg has free public transport, and Berlin, Vienna, Paris and Italy have generous free museum rules for children.

Price level per adult: free, budget = under about €15, mid-range = about €15–30, premium = over €30. Approximate, rules and prices change; check the official website before you go.

See family attractions in Brussels on the Kid.ooo map

Brussels

The Parlamentarium lets kids walk across a giant map of Europe and try being a member of parliament in a role-play game. The House of European History next door is free, with family trails. Younger kids love Mini-Europe, where famous buildings from all EU countries stand in miniature, at the foot of the Atomium.

Strasbourg

At the European Parliament Strasbourg, visitors can see the huge plenary chamber. For younger children, Le Vaisseau is a hands-on science centre made for families, with a garden for picnics.

Luxembourg

Visit Luxembourg has plenty of family ideas. Since 2020, all public transport in the country is free, so you can explore the old town, its casemates and the valleys by bus, tram and train without buying tickets.

Berlin and Vienna

On the first Sunday of every month, the Museumssonntag Berlin gives free entry to dozens of museums; book free time slots online. In Vienna, federal museums are free for children and teens under 19, including the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien with its dinosaurs and meteorites.

Paris and Italy

In Paris, national museums are free for under-18s, which makes the Musée des Arts et Métiers, full of old machines, planes and cars, a cheap and fun visit. In Italy, the Domenica al museo scheme opens state museums and archaeological sites for free on the first Sunday of each month.

Find things to do with kids in Berlin on the Kid.ooo map

Getting there with kids: car, train and stops

Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Paris are close together and well connected by high-speed trains, so a multi-city trip is easy. Berlin and Vienna have night trains and fast connections from many countries.

• By train: book early for the best fares; children usually travel at a reduced rate or free under a certain age.
• By car: use park-and-ride and public transport in the cities.
• On free museum days: arrive at opening time, because popular museums fill up quickly.

Where to stay: family-friendly stays

Choose a hotel or apartment near a metro or tram stop, so you can move quickly between museums and parks. Brussels and Strasbourg are compact, and Luxembourg is small enough to stay in one place and day-trip by free train. Family rooms in business districts are often cheaper at weekends.

Where to eat with kids

Museum cafés are convenient, but a picnic in the park is cheaper and kids love it. In Brussels, fries and waffles are classic treats. In Strasbourg, try a tarte flambée, a thin crispy flatbread most children like. Find kid-friendly restaurants near the museums on the Kid.ooo map.

Rainy-day plan B

On free museum days, rain is not a problem: simply pick one more museum. For more indoor ideas, see Europe's best indoor attractions for kids. Last year's Europe Day and family festivals guide has more ideas for May, and for a sunny alternative read our Easter city breaks guide.

Packing checklist

Pack light, because you will walk a lot between museums.

• A compact pushchair or carrier
• Refillable water bottles and snacks
• A small backpack for each child with a notebook and pencils
• Rain jackets and comfortable shoes
• ID for children, as some free entry rules need proof of age

For family travel guides across Europe, take a look at @wanderingwagars on Instagram.

Save your free museum days in Kid.ooo

Kid.ooo is a free kid-friendly places map where parents share museums, playgrounds and cafés across Europe. Use it as your family travel app for Europe: save the free museum days, a playground for the afternoon and a cheap lunch spot.

Plan your EU city trip on the Kid.ooo map

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