Vienna is a stunning Austrian city that’s perfect for your next family getaway. There are so many things to do, a whole host of activities in Vienna for kids. So here are our suggestions if you need inspiration when planning a trip with your young family.
You can’t always guarantee sunshine on your holidays, and every parent knows that having bored children on a rainy day is no fun for anyone! Palatial architecture, grand gardens and impressive public parks abound in Vienna, but which of them are child friendly?
From sprawling green parks to horse drawn carriages, there’s no shortage of ways to entertain your brood! Your little ones can indeed soak up some of the art, history and musical culture the city is famous for.
So let’s explore all the great things you could do in Vienna with your Kids:
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1. Zoom Children’s Museum
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First, this fantastic modern museum offers four different areas for various ages: Hands-on Exhibition (6-12 years), Ocean (0-6 years), Studio (3-12 years) and Animated Film Studio (8-14 years). The interactive activities ensure your children’s unwavering attention- they’ll be having so much fun they won’t even notice it’s educational!
Each area has fixed opening times and participation is limited so advanced booking is recommended.
Address: Museums Quartier, Museumsplatz 1, A-1070 Wien
Opening Times: Tues-Fri: 8.30am-4pm /
Sat, Sun, public holidays (except Monday): 9.45am-4pm
Closed on Mondays.
2. Museum of Illusions
Optical illusions, holograms and installations provide hours of fun at this unique venue. Experiences include a dizzying tilted room and a rotating cylinder tunnel, which will deceive your eyes and entertain your mind.
Educational games and puzzles along the way will keep you guessing. Last but not least, don’t forget your camera for some memorable pictures!
Address: Wallnerstraße 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Opening Times: Monday to Sunday 10:00 – 21:00
3. The Butterfly House
The perfect spot for any budding naturalists, The Butterfly House is attached to The Hofburg – the official residence of the President of Austria. Visitors can also admire hundreds of rare and colourful butterflies flitting about amongst tropical plants, as you wander through the beautiful glass building.
Heated to a balmy 26 degrees all year round, this is a lovely place for a rainy day indeed!
Address: Hofburg, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening Times: Summer (April – October) : Monday – Friday 10.00 – 16.45 / Sat, Sun & Holidays: 10.00 – 18.15
Winter (November – March): Monday – Sunday (incl. Holidays): 10.00 – 15.45
4. House of the Sea – Haus des Meeres
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An aquarium with a difference, House of the Seas spans 5,000 square metres and is home to 10,000 land and sea animals, from crocodiles and monkeys to sharks, sea turtles and colourful corals.
Café Sharky is a self-service restaurant offering light snacks and drinks – ideal for a quick pit stop before climbing the Tower Stairs (all 192 of them!) up to the rooftop terrace for amazing views of Vienna. In summary, a perfect venue for kids visiting Vienna for the first time.
Address: Fritz-Grünbaum-Platz 1, 1060 Wien
Opening Times: Daily from 9 am – 6 pm / Thursday until 9 pm.
5. Opera for Young People
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Immerse your children in the world of music at one of the most famous opera houses in the world – Wiener Staatsoper, as well as the adjoining Agrana Studiobühne, a venue designed specifically for a younger audience.
By the way, children aged 6 and over can enjoy concerts and ballets such as The Magic Flute, as well as dance workshops and guided tours.
Address: Wiener Staatsoper GmbH, Opernring 2, 1010 Vienna
Opening Times: Check the website for up to date performances.
6. House of Music
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The House of Music will take your children on a magical musical journey. They’ll be shown exhibits and displays that teach them the wonders of music, all while walking around a vibrant and entertaining setting. There are interactive displays – along with a quite magnificent gift shop for some musical souvenirs. A great activity for your kids when visiting Vienna.
Address: Seilerstätte 30, 1010 Wien, Austria
7. National History Museum
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You can’t go wrong with a Natural History Museum! Kids love them, and the one in Vienna is positively splendid. While it showcases a lot of stunning animals and dinosaurs, the key attraction is the meteorite hall. Here, your children will be amazed by the world’s largest collection of meteorites. It’s certainly an experience that will live long in the memory and spark your child’s natural curiosities.
Address: Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria
8. The Clown Museum
As long as your kids aren’t afraid of clowns, then this museum is perfect for families. You’ll get to see all the inner workings of a circus, and be shown around a museum full of props and clown-based fun. They even have little activities now and then where your kids get to dress up and learn how to be a clown. Overall, it’s whacky, enjoyable, and excellent value for money.
Address: Ilgpl. 7, 1020 Wien, Austria
9. The Tech Museum
The Tech Museum in Vienna is jam packed full of excellent exhibitions and awesome activities for the whole family to enjoy. This includes some genuinely amazing special effects exhibitions that bring the magic of cinema to life in front of you. But, the main attractions have to be the various activities for kids to take part in. They can indeed enter the techLAB and design something to be printed out in 3D, or undergo any of the other incredibly entertaining activities available.
Address: Mariahilfer Str. 212, 1140 Wien, Austria
10. The Spanish Riding School
Not suitable for Children under 3 years old
Fancy doing something genuinely unique? Head to The Spanish Riding School to treat your kids to some marvellous performances by talented riders. They’ll witness some stunning white stallions that are ridden around the arena to classical Viennese music. The only downside is that you will definitely be pestered for a pet horse for the next few days!
Address: Michaelerplatz 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
11. Vienna Underground Walking Tour
Not suitable for children sensitive to see skeletons 💀
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If your children are not too afraid of dark places and want to learn about historical facts that happened in Vienna, why not booking this lovely tour of Vienna…underground. Your family will listen and follow a guide that speaks fluent English and will show you different passages. One of the main highlights of the tour is the crypt of St Michael’s Church where you can see mummies, human skulls and about hundred of coffins. Some of the bodies buried were from famous notable Viennese citizens.
12. Marionette Theatre Schönbrunn Palace Vienna
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Last but not least, young children adore puppets as there’s something strangely magical about them. Take your kids to this theatre and they can see some of the best marionette shows in the world. Don’t worry about their attention span, the production company has shows that are specifically shortened for kids to enjoy!
Address: Schloss Schönbrunn Hofratstrakt, 1130 Wien, Austria
13. Tiergarten Schönbrunn – Vienna Zoo
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First on our list of Activities in Vienna has to be the world’s oldest zoo, located in the grounds of the Imperial Schönbrunn Residence. In a beautiful setting, surrounded by history, this doesn’t feel like any other zoo you’ve been to. In addition to being a much-loved tourist attraction, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is an important educational centre. It is partnered with numerous conservation projects, so part of your ticket price will go towards helping endangered species.
Kids will love watching the feeding times of the arctic wolf and Siberian tigers, and there are informative talks on a wide range of animals too.
Address: Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Wien, Austria.
BabyBreaks Tip: Schönbrunn Zoo is in the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace. To reach the main entrance to the zoo use the park entrance gate “Hietzinger Tor“.
14. Wiener Prater – Amusement Park
Located in central Leopoldstadt, this is the city’s most famous amusement park. For generations, families have come here to exploring its rollercoasters, restaurants and green spaces.
Rides include the Wiener Riesenrad – a giant ferris wheel, and Praterturm , a 117 metre flying swing. In addition, little kids will love Grottenbahn. This train ride through fairytale inspired grottos brings popular childhood characters to life including Little Red Riding Hood.
Lastly, the park also hosts seasonal events such as a Halloween festival and a Winter Market.
Address: 1020 Vienna, Austria
Opening Times: Free entry 24 / 7, all year round. However, individual attractions may have different opening hours and fees.
15. Horse Carriage Tour
Get a glimpse into the world of Fiakerei (horse-drawn carriage driving), a historic part of Vienna’s daily life since the 18th century. This tour takes you behind the scenes with a visit to the stables, followed by a ride through the city in an original Viennese Fiaker.
16. Kupark Oberlaa – Public Park
A large green area adjoining the gardens of Oberlaa health resort, this park boasts thermal springs and a popular café . Created by a team of celebrated landscape gardeners, this sprawling space is full of meandering paths to explore. So, perfect for tiring out little legs!
17. Kinder Kutschen – Tandem Bicycles
Exploring a city on two wheels is fantastic if you have young children. Firstly, you will avoid the hassle of public transport, which can be stressful with kids. Secondly, you will be getting some exercise and fresh air – win win! KinderKutschen offers two- and three-wheeled bicycles with space for up to four children.
Address: Taborstraße subway station, exit Novaragasse, 1020 Wien
18. Giant Ferris Wheel Ride
If you want to see the city of Vienna from above and take incredible pictures by day or by night, the Giant Ferris Wheel is the place to book with your children. This ride will take between 12 and 15 minutes with enough time to contemplate every corner of the Austrian capital. And who knows maybe your kids will spot a place that they would like to go.
Make sure to pre-book your session so you can skip the line queue to enter the ride.
Address: Gaudeegasse 1, 1020 Wien, Austria
19. Danube Canal Cruise with Apple Strudel
FREE for children under 10 years old
While a cruise on the Danube river may sound like a typical touristy trap to avoid, this attraction is actually very rewarding for families with young kids. You will see different landmarks from the boat from modern buildings like the Uniqa tower or Zaha Hadid failed house project. Also, your ride tickets comes with the famous Apple Strudel and your favourite hot drink.
20. Time Travel and Magic Vienna History Tour
If you have a rainy day on your holiday in Vienna with the kids, why not opting to spend 1 hour in this immersive experience to learn about the history of Vienna and go back in time. Time Travel and Magic Vienna History Tour features a 5D cinema where your family will use every sense to understand the famous Viennese music or important key personalities of the city.
This attraction is perfect for young children who can’t stand traditional tours but still want to capture a few elements of Vienna history that they will remember when they are back home.
21. Madame Tussauds Vienna
If you have some time to spare during your city holiday break, Madame Tussauds could be on your list of things to do in Vienna with kids. Apart from the traditional International figures that you can see at other Madame Tussauds wax museums, you will be able to spot famous people that represent Austrian culture and history. For instance, you will see the famous Sissi Empress of Austria or the Austrian famous action movie actor Mr Schwarzenegger.
Address: Riesenradpl. 5, 1020 Wien, Austria
22. Mozarthaus Vienna
A visit to Vienna with kids wouldn’t be complete if you don’t spend some time learning about Mozart and how important this classical figure is in music but in Viennese culture overall. Mozarthaus Vienna is the only apartment you can visit today in Vienna where Wolfgang used to live for a few years. His most remarkable music masterpieces were composed there such as the Marriage of Figaro opera.
Make sure to grab an audio guide for your children so they can visit the apartment and learn room by room what makes Mozart one of the greatest composers.
CONCLUSION
I hope you have found enough ideas and activities to do wit your kids in Vienna. In this guide, I have tried to mix cultural attractions but also fun and interactive things to do with kids. I am sure there are plenty more to discover depending on which season you are visiting Vienna. If you’re looking for an entertaining trip, then try and tick as many of these off your list as possible. Happy Travels!
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