Family Adventures in Venice

Venice has not one, but two interactive exhibitions where kids can get hands-on with Leonardo's mechanical inventions and be inspired by his genius.

In no particular order, one is the Da Vinci Interactive Museum, located in the Scuoletta di San Rocco, right across from the famous Scuola Grande di San Rocco. The other is housed in the former Church of San Barnaba.

Ideally, visit both! They each explore a different side of Leonardo's genius, so they complement rather than replace each other. Both are highly interactive, cost the same to enter, and are about a 10-minute walk from each other.

But if it has to be just one…

Choose Da Vinci Interactive Museum if you prefer a more structured museum experience, with a clear progression that lets you explore each contraption and understand how it works.

It has a more modern setup overall and is more educational, while still offering plenty of interactive exhibits for kids to try.

Choose the interactive exibition at San Barnaba instead if you're intrigued by a museum housed in a former church (famous for appearing in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) and prefer a more informal layout.

It's an open space packed with a large number of contraptions, allowing kids to move quickly from one to the next without getting bored.

It's a bit more chaotic, but arguably better suited to pure hands-on fun.

Kids can paint and decorate their own Carnival mask in a hands-on workshop, turning it into a unique souvenir to take home and proudly show to their friends.

Ca' Macana is one of the best-known options, but many workshops across Venice offer a similar experience.

Creature di Gomma is a delightfully nostalgic collection of more than 6,000 toys featuring characters from cartoons, comics, cinema, and TV.

Expect to see He-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, Marvel heroes, Disney icons, and many more.

But beyond the nostalgia for adults, this is also an experience for kids: they'll be fascinated by the explosion of colours and characters, and will likely recognise many Disney favourites.

Surprise! Venice isn't only canals - it also has wide, sandy beaches at the Venice Lido.

After weaving through narrow, crowded alleys with kids in tow, a beach break is perfect: let them run free, splash in the Adriatic, and build epic sandcastles.

Just 15 minutes by vaporetto from St. Mark's Square, you arrive at the Lido. A short walk later, the kids are in the water and you're finally getting that well-earned break.

That beach break at Lido? Maybe it's just the perfect excuse for a full day of island hopping by vaporetto.

The gentle sound of the water, the ever-changing views, and the passing boats, islands, and birds create a soothing rhythm, best enjoyed between occasional stops ashore for a gelato refill.

If you want a clear destination to aim for, head all the way to Torcello, where the lush greenery feels worlds away from Venice proper.

Nearby Burano is well known for its iconic multicolored houses, while Mazzorbo could easily be called the island of cats. You might even stumble across a lovely playground right by the lagoon.

Bonus: Kids under 6 ride the vaporetto for free, and day passes are an exceptional value at just €25 per person.

Riding the vaporetto is fun, but letting the kids choose the route as captain or master rower is even better!

VeniceOnBoard and RowVenice offer 90-minute lessons in traditional Venetian rowing, taught aboard a batellina: a stable, traditional boat once used around the lagoon.

Rowing students must be at least 6 years old, but there's no age limit for passengers.

The Naval History Museum is dedicated to Venice's naval history and is filled with highly detailed model ships that are sure to fascinate both children and adults.

There is also the Ships Pavilion, showcasing full-size traditional Venetian lagoon boats, from gondolas, fishing boats, and workboats to warships.

On the top floor, kids will discover a wonderful collection of preserved shells, corals, sea urchins, starfish, and other marine curiosities in every color, shape, and size.

Take your visit to the Naval Museum to the next level by stepping inside a real submarine, located (on land) within the active military section of the Venetian Arsenal.

This experience is best suited for older kids with an interest in ships, mechanics, or military history. From the engine room to the torpedo chamber, they will discover where the crew lived and worked - and even get to interact with some of the switches and levers along the way.

An included audio guide tells the story of the vessel from the perspective of a former captain who served aboard it, while the accompanying guide is available to answer any questions.

The experience also includes entry to the Naval History Museum, valid for two days after purchase.

The guided tours start from the museum's Ship Pavilion.

Libreria Acqua Alta is a charming bookshop complete with resident cats and its own gondola which kids can even board.

The library also has a selection of children's books, so they can browse them - provided the resident cats approve.

The bookshop has become very popular, so for the best experience, try visiting early, close to opening time at 9 am.

The Natural History Museum showcases artifacts from Venetian expeditions in a historic building. Part of its appeal lies in its beautifully crafted and thoughtfully curated exhibits, some of which include interactive stations.

Among the highlights, children will see the fossil of a 7-metre (23-foot) Ouranosaurus nigeriensis and the skeleton of an 18-metre (60-foot) finback whale.

Just a word of caution: a few exhibits, including the taxidermy section, the mummified remains, and the strange mermaid-monkey, may be too intense for very young children.

In Venice, everything stands on timber piles driven into the lagoon soil, so for centuries every square meter has mattered.

As a result, greenery is relatively scarce, and the dense urban landscape can feel overwhelming after a while, especially for children.

A few scattered parks can be found across the city, with the largest green areas located toward the eastern edge of Castello, where you'll find the Biennale Gardens.

But venture a bit further east and you'll find Parco delle Rimembranze, a spacious, tranquil park with shaded pine trees by the water and beautiful sunset views over the San Marco Basin.

The park has a picnic area, two playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, and outdoor fitness equipment.

At the opposite end of the city, Parco Savorgnan is another easy-to-reach green escape, especially if you're staying in Cannaregio.

Just a few steps from the Venice Train Station, it's surrounded by buildings but still offers plenty of greenery, a fairly large playground, drinking fountains, picnic tables, open space for games of hide-and-seek, and outdoor fitness equipment.

If you're staying on Giudecca, Parco San Giacomo is an excellent green escape with sun-drenched open views across the southern lagoon.

It has a large playground featuring swings, slides, grassy areas, and outdoor fitness equipment. The park is fenced along the waterfront, so children can play safely without the risk of wandering into the water.

At Carlo Goldoni's House, families are invited into the world of theatre through the last surviving 18th-century Venetian puppet theatre.

Once a common feature of patrician homes, it is preserved with a remarkable collection of its original marionettes, alongside the legacy of Italy's greatest playwright.

For older children with an interest in this fascinating material, a trip to Murano is an experience we highly recommend for several reasons.

They can watch a glassblowing demonstration, where master craftsmen transform molten glass into intricate forms that feel almost like a magic show.

The experience can be taken further with a hands-on workshop, where participants create their own glass piece to take home as a unique souvenir, perfect for telling friends: 'I made this!'.

A visit to the Glass Museum adds further depth to the understanding of this centuries-old tradition.

Finally, browsing the artisan shops along Rio dei Vetrai feels like a treasure hunt, with each shop offering the promise of a unique souvenir. Expect plenty of whimsical creations that will delight children of all ages.

All of these experiences are covered in our Murano visiting guide.

If you're visiting Murano, don't miss the ancient beautiful church of Santi Maria e Donato.

Its floor is entirely covered in magnificent mosaics depicting birds, symbols, and geometric patterns crafted from precious stones, creating a striking 'walking-on-Lego' feeling for the kids.

The church is also known for its dragon legend. Behind the altar, you'll spot enormous hanging ribs. According to local tradition, these are the bones of a dragon slain by Saint Donatus.

It's a story that never fails to spark curiosity, with children often asking countless questions about the fabled creature.

Venice is well known for its classical music concerts, often centered around interpretations of Vivaldi's compositions.

Most performances may be too long depending on children's age and attention span, although a performance at Scuola Grande di San Teodoro can be particularly engaging for children thanks to the period costumes worn by the performers.

For a lighter musical experience, head to St. Mark's Square in the evening, where the orchestras of several cafés in the square create a lively and atmospheric musical backdrop. In the evening, the square takes on a more relaxed, mellow mood, giving children more space to move around freely and even dance if they feel like it.

Lastly, if children show any interest in seeing musical instruments displayed in a unique setting, the free-entry Music Museum is an easy stop for families.