Munich With Kids: Zoo, Science and Cars
Children who have been in the car for an hour want something to climb on, and Munich has plenty. Here are the best family stops, grouped by the ages they suit.
Toddlers and primary school: Tierpark Hellabrunn
Hellabrunn Zoo sits on the Isar and is built around animals grouped by continent. It opens daily 9:00 to 18:00 until 24 October, then 9:00 to 17:00 from 25 October 2026. Admission rose on 1 October to €23 for adults and €9 for children aged 4 to 14, so check the latest figures on hellabrunn.de . A good way to arrive is by bike along the Isar trail from the Deutsches Museum, passing the Flaucher gravel beaches on the way.
Science and cars
The Deutsches Museum is open daily 9:00 to 17:00. Adults pay €16, children 6 to 17 pay €9, a family ticket is €33 and under-6s go in free. The Kinderreich section is built for ages 3 to 8, with hands-on exhibits. A renovation programme continues until 2028, so check the museum site for which halls are open on your day. BMW Welt is free and has cars to sit in. The museum next door costs €17 for adults, €9 concession and €38 for a family, and works card or mobile only, so carry a phone.
Film sets
Bavaria Filmstadt lets children climb inside the Das Boot submarine and ride the Falkor dragon from The NeverEnding Story. The main season runs until 6 November, with opening hours of 9:00 to 18:00. Prices vary by ticket type, so look at bavaria-filmstadt.de before you go. Older children can add an Asterix and Obelix set.
A gondola on the palace canal
The Nymphenburg Palace canal has a Venetian gondola that runs daily until the end of October, weather permitting. Details are on munich.travel . The 200-hectare park is free, with plenty of lawn for a picnic. Children under 18 go into the palace for free, and the combination ticket for adults is €20 (€18 reduced) until 15 October, then €16 (€14 reduced).
Transport and logistics
On public transport, children 6 to 14 ride free on a Single-Tageskarte (€10.10 for adults, Zone M), and your own children travel free with you, with up to three other children. A separate Kindertageskarte costs €3.80. A single Zone M ticket costs €4.20 and a short hop (Kurzstrecke) costs €2.10. Check MVV’s price page for the full list.
For a lunch stop, a self-service beer garden lets you bring your own food, so a family picnic fits, and the garden counter sells soft drinks and water. Many garden drink stalls still take cash, so bring some. Shops are closed on Sundays, so buy snacks the day before.
Rainy days
Pair the Deutsches Museum with a pretzel from a bakery. On a dry day, take the zoo or the Englischer Garten, where children can watch (from the bank only) experienced surfers on the Eisbach wave.
If you want a pre-booked family activity, you can look at Munich family tours on GetYourGuide . To see what else the city offers, read the general activities guide .
Tip: do the Deutsches Museum on a weekday morning, then the zoo the following day, since each one fills a day for children under 10.