How do I visit a museum with the children? This is the eternal question that many parents ask themselves… mine before me!

Let the one who has never been confronted with this problem raise his hand … and gives us his miracle recipe!
Whether it’s a conscience or you really want to integrate them into your children’s education, going out to museums can be a real headache and a moment of family tension.

So to help you integrate these cultural outings more smoothly into the weekend and holiday program, WanderWorld gives you a few tips! Introducing a child to heritage is, if taken so well, such a rewarding experience.

Focus on interactive museums

Admittedly, not all museums are suitable for children. Some because of the topics they deal with, others because their format is inappropriate, or because they are too long.
If you want to give your blonde heads the taste of museums, you might as well put all the chances on your side with interactive museums. Innovation has been at the service of accessibility to culture and therefore many museums now offer a “playful games” section.

Visits suitable for toddlers are often possible so find out beforehand to prepare for your visit!
Be careful, because in some museums, you have to book better in advance (e.g. the Musée d’Orsay which offers excellent games).

Exhibition no longer necessarily rhymes with torment for children because some museums even regularly organize temporary exhibitions totally adapted and dedicated.

Aude-Laure’s advice: ” There are often ephemeral exhibitions that are very child-friendly. I remember one on Arcimboldo for example. But if not, the Museum of The Invalides is nice for them, like the Louis Vuitton Foundation… and many more.”

Offer to invite a friend

The more crazy we are, the more we laugh! Visiting a museum with the children may well be an opportunity for you to invite a friend to this outing. Your child will be very happy to go out with you and his best friend. For example, you can plan the trip to the museum in the morning, then have lunch together and take them to the cinema in the afternoon. A varied program that would be difficult to refuse.

On his busy day, your child will remember not only the good times he had with his comrade, but also some funny works and anecdotes from the museum.

Note: for an outing to the museum, it is obviously better to avoid inviting the most turbulent boyfriend of the class. Even if your child loves it very much, the museum is not a place to let off steam!

Accompanying the visit of playful media

Your child may not (well, it’s almost certain) he won’t want to stop in front of each work to read the little explanatory box.
To prevent him from wandering from room to room without really paying attention to what surrounds him, make this information more accessible with the help of adapted media. Almost all museums now have a shop, and many of them have museum-themed children’s books.
Why not go for a walk before the visit to buy a small illustrated notebook?
In this way, your child will be able to enjoy his gift throughout the visit. He will thus remember better what he will see there.

Some museums offer support for free and really accompany the children on their visit. At the Sainte Chapelle, for example, the small booklet offered at the entrance is excellent and suitable for the youngest (and not so young :-)).

Note: Equipping the child with an audio guide is a great idea… I didn’t believe it much but after testing on my kids, it works.

Finding the right balance

Let’s be clear: it’s more often the parents who decide to go to the museum than the children! And cultural education is not a logical science, how do we know how often to organize these outings? Simply by trusting your instincts.

Do you think this outing will be beneficial to your child’s development? Visiting a museum with the children every Sunday is useless except perhaps disgusting them for life of this place 🙂

So don’t be too demanding if your child doesn’t love museums… predicting one or two a year is already very good.

If your child’s school is already going out, you may not need to add more. If not, ask your child what he or she is currently learning at school, and try to find a culturally related outing… But you can also choose a museum that has nothing to do with the school curriculum to open your child to new things.

Susanne’s advice: Choose a few works and tell the “illustrated” story. There is no need to be exhaustive and to tire their attention. ».

My conclusion

To entertain children, it’s not just cinema, animals or sports: museums are increasingly organizing workshops and activities for families. So there’s no excuse to share good times with your family… at the museum.

Don’t forget that admission to national museums is free for under-18s. Some museums are also free on the first Sunday of the month.

And if the trip to the museum is accompanied by a discovery of the city, discover
our children’s travel diaries
(already many destinations available!). Getting children’s travel diary allows them to remember their discoveries and actively participate in the visits.

And don’t forget to comment on what your tips are so that a family visit to a museum doesn’t turn into a nightmare!