Family Activities in Jerusalem
Travel advisory: Israel and the West Bank remain a real, functioning destination, but the security situation can change quickly. Check your own government’s current advice, such as the US State Department or UK FCDO , before booking a family trip, and note advice differs for the West Bank and areas near Gaza.
Jerusalem is a heavy city for young kids: a lot of the headline sights are religious sites that ask for quiet and modest dress rather than running around. The places below are the ones that work best for families, and two or three days covers them comfortably.
Tower of David Museum
The Tower of David Museum, reopened after a full renewal, uses interactive exhibits and multimedia displays that hold kids’ attention better than a straight walk through ruins. Museum entry alone is 55 ILS for an adult; the evening Night Experience sound-and-light show is 69 ILS, or 108 ILS combined with the museum. Check current pricing and any local-resident discounts at tod.org.il before you go, since it has changed more than once this year.
Israel Museum
The Israel Museum (54 ILS adult) has a children’s wing with hands-on activities alongside its main galleries, including the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book. It’s a full morning or afternoon rather than a quick stop.
City of David
Older kids who don’t mind getting wet tend to enjoy Hezekiah’s Tunnel at City of David (around 65 ILS adult), a narrow First Temple-period water channel you wade through in the dark. It calls for water shoes and a flashlight, and it’s genuinely not for anyone claustrophobic or unsteady on their feet - there’s no emergency exit partway through.
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, known locally as the Biblical Zoo, runs about 68-72 ILS for an adult and 54 ILS for a child aged 3-17, with the adjacent Gottesman Aquarium a further 89 ILS adult. It’s the closest thing Jerusalem has to a full-day outdoor family attraction.
Liberty Bell Park and First Station
Liberty Bell Park (Gan HaPa’amon) is free, with playgrounds, an amphitheater and open lawns for letting kids run between the more structured sights. First Station, a restored 1892 railway terminal turned dining and events complex, mixes restaurants with outdoor activities and is one of the few West Jerusalem venues where select restaurants stay open on Shabbat.
Getting around the Old City with kids
The Old City’s cobblestone alleys are tough going with a stroller; a baby carrier works better than wheels.
For a broader look at the city’s sights, see the sightseeing guide , and for booking a family-paced Old City walk, search Jerusalem tours on GetYourGuide .