The largest science museum in the Netherlands, on Amsterdam's Oosterdok – five floors of experiments and wonder for all ages.
July 10, 2026 – October 25, 2026
Temporary exhibition about video games and their influence on play, community and self-expression, with consoles from the Super Nintendo to the PlayStation 5 to play yourself. In the theater on the third floor, open from 11:00.
NEMO's roots go back to 1923, when the industrial painter Herman Heijenbrock opened a Museum of Labor on the Rozengracht, showing mainly his own collection on technology and industry. The economic crisis and the war prevented it from becoming a national technology museum.
After World War II, from 1954 the institution was called the Nederlands Instituut voor Nijverheid en Techniek (NINT) and aimed to attract young people to careers in industry and technology. From the late 1970s it took its cue from American science centers with playful hands-on activities; in 1983 the institute moved to the Tolstraat.
In 1997 the museum opened as newMetropolis in a striking, copper-green new building by Renzo Piano that stands on the Oosterdok above the IJ Tunnel. After financial difficulties came a fresh start: first as Science Center NEMO, and since 2016 as NEMO Science Museum, with the aim of making science tangible in all its breadth.
Today NEMO is one of the most visited museums in the Netherlands. On five floors, exhibitions such as Fenomena, Technium, Elementa and Humania invite visitors to try things out, complemented by demonstrations, a lab and a collection of technical heritage. The green roof was redesigned in 2025 as a freely accessible city square with views over Amsterdam. For its centenary in 2023, NEMO repositioned itself as an open place for questions about climate, raw materials, biotechnology and artificial intelligence.
| Adults | €21.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €14Holders of a CJP card, student ID or University Card |
| Children & teens | €21.50free up to age 3 · Children aged 1 to 3 free, full price from age 4 |
| Seniors | –No senior discount (according to the FAQ, only CJP and student discounts) |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of people with disabilities and holders of an Autipas free |
| Students & apprentices | €14With a student ID, University Card or CJP card |
| Groups | –School and youth groups only with advance registration at special rates; tour operators via reserveringen@e-nemo.nl |
Free with the Museumkaart; also free with the VriendenLoterij VIP card, Amsterdam Stadspas, I amsterdam City Card, ICOM card and NEMO annual pass. All tickets have a start time – book a ticket online in advance even with the Museumkaart. Only online booking guarantees entry; remaining tickets are available at the ticket desk. The Museumkaart and I amsterdam City Card (24/48 hrs) are available at the ticket desk.
One loan wheelchair (reserve by email to info@e-nemo.nl); all floors reachable by elevator, wheelchair-accessible restrooms except on the fourth floor. The middle section of the rooftop square is a large staircase without handrails; the lower terrace and the restaurant terrace are accessible. The eZwayZ navigation app with spoken image descriptions for blind and visually impaired visitors (currently not available on the third floor). Videos in Technium with optional sign language. Some exhibits in Fenomena involve flashing lights or magnetic fields. Municipal accessible parking spaces on Kattenburgerplein, on Kalkmarkt and in the Oosterdok parking garage. The walking route from the station is not safe for visually impaired people without a companion. The Sunflower lanyard is recognized.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
Designed for all ages; some activities only from age 6, the Humania exhibition from age 12. Children under 13 only accompanied by adults. No dedicated children's birthday packages; group visits with tickets booked in advance are possible.
Kadijksplein · 5-min walk
About 15 minutes on foot from Amsterdam Centraal station (main exit on the city side, then left). Bus 42 toward Cruquius-eiland to Kadijksplein, from there about 5 minutes on foot.
Paid parking · 400 m to the entrance
No parking of its own. Nearest parking garages: Oosterdok (400 m), Markenhoven (600 m), Q-Park Waterlooplein (750 m) and Q-Park Amsterdam Centraal (1.3 km), each with its own rates; cheaper via P+R Noord or P+R Zeeburg. Tour buses: bus parking P2 at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam; school classes can be dropped off at NEMO's west quay until 11:00, after that at stop H11 near the Scheepvaartmuseum.
Easy to reach by car; for current road works, see the City of Amsterdam's website.
Get directionsCoffee bar (second floor) and museum café (third floor); Museum Restaurant and Conservatory with a terrace on the roof, kiosk on the lower rooftop square (closed in bad weather). Food brought from home is allowed in designated areas. Lockers take a 50-cent coin; no suitcases. Nursing room on the fourth floor. Free Wi-Fi “NEMO Public”.
Conservatory, Panorama Room, rooftop square, theater, auditorium, museum café and boardroom for conferences, receptions, company parties and dinners (dinners for 20–150 people); science program elements can be booked. Inquiries to evenementen@e-nemo.nl.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | no |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Tickets with a start time; arriving earlier or later is no problem, and you can stay as long as you like. No guided tours, but workshops and demonstrations, with extra activities during school holidays. Children under 13 only with adults. Rooftop square Tue–Sun 10:00–17:30 free to access (stairs on the east side). |
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