Bruges With Children: Museums and Boat Rides

October 30, 2026

Bruges with children

Bruges works well for families if you plan short stops and keep an eye on the water. The sights are close together, entry is free for under 13s at most Musea Brugge locations, and the city has no theme park or zoo, so the best days mix a museum, a boat ride and an hour in a park.

Volkskundemuseum

The Volkskundemuseum, on Balstraat 43, is one of the most family-friendly museums in Bruges according to Musea Brugge. It has seven game stations, rooms from the 1950s and 1960s called Children of the Past, and a museum inn. In good weather, folk games are set up outside. On Thursday afternoons a sweet maker bakes on site. Adults pay EUR 8, under 18s pay EUR 4 and under 13s are free. It is closed on Mondays, and also on Tuesdays in winter.

Museum Sint-Janshospitaal

The Sint-Janshospitaal has a Children’s Hospital play corner for ages 2.5 and up, and an attic experience called Closer to Memling for ages 7 and up. Under 13s enter free. See the Musea Brugge page for hours.

Chocolate and fries

Choco-Story, at Wijnzakstraat 2, runs praline demonstrations and tastings and is open daily. Child tickets for ages 3 to 11 cost about EUR 10. The Frietmuseum is also open every day, with child tickets of about EUR 7. Check both before you go.

Canal boat

The canal boat ride lasts 30 minutes. Children aged 4 to 11 pay EUR 9 and under 4s go free. The boats are open, with no child seats, and children sit on the benches. Boats are not tailored to children, but families enjoy them, and ducking under a low bridge and a little spray are part of the fun. Tickets are sold at five landing stages and cannot be booked in advance. The Visit Bruges boat page has the stage list.

Parks, steamer and carriage

Koningin Astridpark is a central park with a pond, fountain and playground. Minnewater is a free lake park with swans, though there is no boat hire.

The Lamme Goedzak paddle steamer to Damme runs from early April to early November and is an easy half-day outing. A horse-drawn carriage costs EUR 70 per carriage for up to five people, so a family of five splits the price.

The Belfry with small children

The Belfry has 366 steps and no lift. Under 7s enter free, but the narrow stair is a poor fit for small children. Older children who like climbing may enjoy it, and the carillon plays on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 to 12:00.

Safety by the water

The stone edges of the canals along the Rozenhoedkaai, Dijver, Groenerei and Spiegelrei have no fences. Keep young children by the hand, and do not back up for photos near the edge. The cobbles are slippery when wet, and cyclists share many lanes, so hold on to pushchairs.

No zoo or theme park

Bruges has no zoo, no amusement park, no indoor play centre and no swan-boat hire. For wet weather, the museums above are the best options.

For organised family options, compare Bruges family tours on GetYourGuide .