A Guide to the Science and Technology Museum for Families

The Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology The museum in Milan is one of the most family-friendly science museums in Europe, designed as a large hands-on laboratory to stimulate the curiosity of children of all ages through activity and discovery. For all practical information and up-to-date opening hours, please visit the the Science Museum’s general information page.

Top Activities for Families

The museum’s programme offers various ways to try your hand at science; the up-to-date calendar can be found on the page dedicated to the’What the Science Museum has to offer and its activities:

• I-Lab (Interactive Laboratories): Themed areas dedicated to chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and electricity. In these areas, the children work with test tubes, circuits, gears and chemical reactions, supervised by science facilitators. The full list of available activities can be found in the section dedicated to i-Lab interactive workshops. For younger children (aged 3–6), there is also a special area, the’Playlab area.
• Tinkering Zone: A space focused on “thinking with your hands” and STEM subjects, where you can build working objects, small robots, marble runs or engineering structures by combining technology with recycled materials. Further details about the facility are available on the Tinkering Zone.
• Weekend Activities: At weekends, the programme is enhanced by workshops organised by age group (3 to 6 years old and 7 years and over).
• Overnight Camps: Regular events where children aged 6 to 10 can spend the whole night inside the museum, exploring the galleries by torchlight and sleeping amongst the exhibits.

The Sections Most Loved by Children

The museum’s exhibition routes are always met with great enthusiasm by young visitors. An overview of all the collections can be found in the section dedicated to permanent exhibitions:

• Leonardo da Vinci Galleries: Over 170 historical models, multimedia installations, and military and flying machines reconstructed from Leonardo’s drawings. Further details on this section can be found on the Leonardo da Vinci Galleries.
• Transport Sector: A pavilion dedicated to transport, where you can admire impressive vintage steam locomotives and step onto the bridge of the ocean liner Conte Biancamano.
• The Enrico Toti submarine: A real Italian Navy submarine, situated in the outdoor area, which visitors can explore on the inside as part of a guided tour. Operational information and access details can be found in the guide on how to visit the Toti Submarine.
• Space Area: An exhibition space featuring an astronaut’s suit and a genuine fragment of moon rock brought back to Earth by the Apollo 17 mission.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

To make the most of your experience:

1. Booking workshops: Access to the i-Labs at weekends is included in the ticket price, but you must book a time slot when purchasing tickets online.
2. Opening times: The building is very large; it takes about 3 or 4 hours to take part in a workshop and visit the main sections.
3. Dedicated Services: The museum has baby-friendly areas for breastfeeding, toilets equipped with nappy-changing facilities, covered picnic areas and a bistro in the historic cloisters.