The Best Children’s Museums in Asia

Keeping the kids entertained is the name of the game, and a trip to a museum has become one of the most entertaining days your whole family can have while on holiday!

No longer the looming, dull and stuffy buildings of antiquity they used to be, museums these days tend to be vibrant and interactive environments. Fun-filled places with a heavy emphasis on ‘edutainment’. Asia currently hosts some of the best museums in the world, and most offer amazing opportunities for children; an instant solution for a day of family entertainment when planning your trip away. The travel experts at KAYAK.com.hk have put together a list of the best children’s museums in Asia.

Tokyo and Osaka, Japan

With its already fantastical cityscape it comes as no surprise that Tokyo hosts a majority of top-notch museums. Start at the National Museum of Nature and Science every floor of this world-class science museum has a dizzying array of hands-on fun for youngsters of all ages. A visit to the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation is also extremely worthwhile , giving the National Museum of Nature and Science a run for its money as far as interactive and eye-popping exhibitions and activities. But the must see here are the several-times-daily live demonstrations by Asimo, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot. For those looking outside the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Osaka’s Kid’s Plaza is Japan’s first museum dedicated solely to, well, kids. As well as having received several accolades and tourism awards, this museum is five floors of dedicated kid’s paradise with an extra bonus being, that with so many official supervisors on the floor, parents of older children are allowed to duck out for some ‘me time’ and return an hour or two later, refreshed and relaxed.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo from $1,740*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Dai-Ichi Hotel for a double room from $2,345*

Seoul, Korea

As you may have already noticed most of the places in our list are in the big cities. The good news is, even adults visiting these places will feel like they are stepping through the looking glass and into another world. Seoul Children’s Museum boasts the incredible Beyond Sensory Play area, where your little ones will immerse themselves in incredibly stimulating environments, ranging from Art and Nature, to Science and Culture, to name but a few. There is also an abundance of daily courses on offer, including cookery, performance and storytelling. Children over 10 are allowed to explore unsupervised, giving you time to enjoy a coffee or some time for yourself.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Seoul from $1,789*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Courtyard by Marriot for a double room from $1,204*

Singapore

Whilst Singapore boasts several exceptional museums, the jewel in the crown has to be the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. Most cool museums have some dinosaurs somewhere, but if you’ve got dinosaur-obsessed kids, expect all jaws to hit the floor upon seeing the stars of the show: three 150-million-year-old diplodocid sauropod skeletons. The other exhibitions, spread over two storeys, are equally fascinating, Singapore relevant, and awe inspiring to young scientific minds. Make sure to book your tickets in advance via Sistic.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Singapore from $1,407*
Where to stay:Nightly rate at the Mandarin Orchard for a double room from $1,623*

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok has an amazing array of ‘Edutainment’ centres throughout the city,but the museum that puts this already vibrant city on the map is the Children’s Discovery Museum. This museum underwent extensive renovations in 2014 and the results are nothing short of exceptional. The question this museum dares kids to ask is ‘How does the world work?’ All the activities are geared towards helping kids answer these questions, from staging their own, Indiana Jones style, archeological digs, to blowing a giant bubble from the inside. Entry is also free and the canteen serves an array of delicious beverages.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Bangkok  from $1,171*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Novotel Bangkok for a double room  from $1,276*

Bandung, Indonesia

In stunning Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, one can find the Museum of Geology. While not as fancy as its counterparts in the main cities, this museum is a classic. For those of you who still prefer old-school museums over the flashiness of the modern ones, here’s a great alternative for you and your kids. It’s old and dusty and carries the mystique that older museums were once famous for. Once again dinosaurs make up the centre point of what this museum has to offer but the geology floor itself will get kids super excited about rocks. A mean feat in anyone’s book.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Bandung  from $1,843*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Grand Hotel Panghegar for a double room  from $630

KAYAK is the leading travel search engine. To search and compare prices for flights, hotels, car rentals and much more, visit KAYAK.com.hk or download the app atKAYAK.com.hk/mobile.

*Prices for flights and hotels are based on deals found on KAYAK.com.hk on 13 May, 2016 from Hong Kong to the indicated destinations abroad for travel dates 11-18 June, 2016. Airfares are based on a return flight in economy class for one adult. Hotel rates are based on the nightly rate for triple occupancy. Prices are subject to change, availability may be limited and offers may no longer be available.