Nothing here is behind glass with a “do not touch” sign — that’s the whole point. Experimentarium Copenhagen is Denmark’s flagship science centre: 16,000 square metres of hands-on exhibits spread across 18 themed zones, where kids blow giant bubbles, stand inside a Tesla-coil show, and build robots. It’s aimed at ages 5–15, but there are dedicated zones for toddlers and plenty to keep parents busy. If it’s raining and your kids have energy to burn, this is where you want to be.
It sits up in Hellerup, about 25 minutes north by S-train, in a striking 3XN building that opened in 2017. Plan on three to four hours, time your day around the Tesla coil demos, and bring a spare set of clothes for the water zone. For the wider trip, our full guide to Copenhagen with children has the full plan, and this pairs perfectly with our Copenhagen rainy-day activities guide.
Experimentarium at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | Tuborg Havnevej 7, 2900 Hellerup |
| Opened | 2017 (designed by 3XN architects) |
| Size | 16,000 sqm; 18 themed zones; 250+ exhibits |
| Adult ticket | Around 210 DKK |
| Child 3–11 | Around 150 DKK |
| Under 3 | Free |
| Family ticket (2+2) | Around 525 DKK |
| Best ages | 5–15 ideal; separate 0–3 zone; adults engaged too |
| Free with | Copenhagen Card |
| Visit duration | 3–4 hours typical |
| Transport from city | S-train C-line to Hellerup, about 18 min, roughly 40 DKK |
| Best season | Year-round and indoors; ideal for rainy days |
Prices nudge up over time, so double-check before you go. If you’re visiting a few paid sights, the Copenhagen Card covers entry and usually pays for itself.
The Zones Worth Prioritising
With 18 zones you won’t do everything, so here are the ones that land hardest — grouped roughly by age.
Mini Museum (ages 0–3)
A walled-off zone just for the littlest ones: soft play, sensory exhibits and age-appropriate activities, safely separate from the busier main floor. If you’ve only got a toddler, you could honestly spend most of your visit here.
Discovery Zone (ages 4–7)
The bridge between the toddler zone and the grown-up exhibits: touch tanks, building blocks and simple experiments pitched squarely at four-to-seven-year-olds. Start here with younger kids and save the main hall for when their energy peaks.
Body Lab
Anatomy and biology made physical — heart-rate stations, X-ray viewers and balance tests that show how the human body actually works. It clicks with school-age kids who are just starting to learn this stuff at school.
Energy Zone
Static-electricity hair experiments, solar demos and — the crowd favourite — a Tesla coil that crackles real lightning. The demonstrations here run a couple of times a day and are worth planning around; the noise alone earns the wide eyes.
Engineering Workshop
Robotics, programming stations and building challenges, split between structured daily workshops and free play. This is where the eight-and-up crowd disappears for an hour — worth checking workshop times at the info desk on arrival.
Physics Playground
Forces and motion you can push, swing and drop: pendulums, levers, gear systems and friction tests. It’s physics without the textbook, and it holds a surprisingly wide age range.
Water World
Pumps, dams, wave-makers and Archimedes in action. It’s a huge hit and a certain way to get sleeves soaked, so bring a spare top for anyone under about eight. Consider saving it for near the end of your visit.
Mind Maze (illusions)
Mirror rooms, perspective illusions and optical experiments that mess with everyone’s head. If you’re travelling with teenagers who think they’re too cool for a science museum, steer them here first — it’s the zone that converts them. Our Copenhagen with teenagers guide has more ideas for that age.
Digital Future
Augmented reality, coding stations and touchscreens. It’s the zone that grabs the kids who’d otherwise gravitate straight back to a phone — and quietly turns screen time into something a bit more constructive.
Daily Demonstrations and Workshops
Time your route around a demo or two — they break up the free play and give the day some rhythm:
- 11:00 — Tesla coil electricity demonstration
- 12:00 — robotics workshop
- 13:00 — Body Lab talk
- 14:00 — Tesla coil, round two
- 15:00 — kids’ programming workshop
- 16:00 — water dynamics show
- Workshops — book on the day at the info desk
Times move around, so check experimentarium.dk the morning of your visit and grab any workshop slots early — the popular ones fill up.
Tickets and Prices
| Ticket type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | Around 210 DKK | Single entry |
| Child 3–11 | Around 150 DKK | Single entry |
| Under 3 | Free | With a paying adult |
| Senior (60+) | Around 190 DKK | ID required |
| Family ticket (2+2) | Around 525 DKK | Saves roughly 195 DKK vs individual |
| Annual pass | From around 600 DKK | Worth it at 4+ visits |
| Copenhagen Card | Entry included | Best value across 3+ paid attractions |
Buy online to skip the queue. The family ticket is the obvious saver, and if you already hold a Copenhagen Card, entry’s covered.
Getting There
It’s in Hellerup, north of the centre:
- S-train C-line from Copenhagen Central to Hellerup — about 18 minutes, roughly 40 DKK
- From Hellerup station — a 5-minute walk
- Total from the centre — about 25 minutes
- By car — 15–20 minutes; parking around 30 DKK/hour
- Bus 1A — a slower alternative
- By bike — 20–30 minutes up the Strandvejen coast road
Which Ages Get the Most Out of It
| Age | Best zones | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 | Mini Museum only | Quieter zone; bring lunch and nap supplies |
| 4–7 | Discovery Zone + select main | Discovery Zone first; main hall when energy’s high |
| 8–12 | Most main zones; engineering | The sweet spot — happily fills 3–4 hours |
| 13–17 | Mind Maze, illusions, coding | Less obvious appeal; lead with the challenges |
| Adults | All zones; the architecture | More engaging than most parents expect |
Insider Tips
- Come on a weekday morning — weekends and school holidays get busy.
- Buy tickets online — skip the entry queue.
- Plan around the demos — the 11:00 and 14:00 Tesla coil shows are the highlights.
- Give it 3–4 hours — kids always want to loop back to a favourite zone.
- Pack water and snacks — outside food is fine in the café area.
- There’s a café on-site — with a kid-friendly menu.
- It’s fully stroller-accessible — rentals available.
- Use the lockers — around 30 DKK for jackets and bags.
- Bring a change of clothes — the water zone will get them.
- Combine with Hellerup — a Tuborg Harbour walk or the beach nearby.
- Free with the Copenhagen Card — worth it across three or more paid sights.
- Note the closures — shut on 1 January and 24–26 December.
Food, and What Else Is Nearby
The on-site café covers the basics — sandwiches, hot meals, coffee and a kids’ menu — and there’s a designated area where you can eat food you’ve brought, which is the budget-friendly move with a hungry family. Prices are typical Copenhagen museum-café level, so a picnic packed at the supermarket that morning saves a fair bit.
Because it’s a full 25 minutes out of the centre, it’s worth turning the trip into a half-day around Hellerup rather than dashing straight back. Hellerup is a leafy, well-heeled suburb: you can stroll the Tuborg Harbour marina right by the museum, and in summer the beach at Charlottenlund a few minutes further up the coast makes an easy add-on. If you’re cycling out along the Strandvejen coast road, that alone is a lovely, flat, kid-friendly ride — see our Copenhagen with toddlers guide for gentle-pace ideas and our wider family day trips guide for pairing it with more of the coast.
How It Compares to Other Family Days
| Attraction | Best ages | Visit time | Family (2+2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experimentarium | 5–15 | 3–4 hours | Around 525 DKK |
| Den Blå Planet | All ages | 3–4 hours | Around 595 DKK |
| Tivoli Gardens | All, 2–99 | Full day | 1,400–4,000 DKK |
| Copenhagen Zoo | All ages | 4–5 hours | Around 770 DKK |
| National Museum | 8+ (free) | 3 hours | Free |
| Bakken (free entry) | All ages | 4–6 hours | Rides 30–80 DKK each |
If your kids lean more towards animals than experiments, our Den Blå Planet guide is the better rainy-day call; for the big splurge day, see taking children to Tivoli; and for a free alternative amusement park, Bakken is only a little further north.
The Workshops
Beyond free play, there’s a full slate of structured sessions — book them at the info desk when you arrive:
- Robotics workshop — programming and building (ages 8+)
- Science Lab — chemistry experiments (ages 6+)
- Engineering Challenge — bridge and tower building (ages 7+)
- Body Lab tour — a guided anatomy walk-through (ages 9+)
- Tesla coil show — daily, all ages
- Coding for beginners — programming basics (ages 8+)
- Birthday parties — themed celebrations available
Experimentarium: FAQs
Is Experimentarium Copenhagen worth visiting?
For families with kids aged 5–15, absolutely. With 250-plus hands-on exhibits, a three-to-four-hour visit never feels thin, and the daily demos keep momentum going. Adults get more out of the architecture and physics than they expect — and it’s free with the Copenhagen Card.
What ages is it best for?
Five to fifteen is the sweet spot. Under-3s have their own Mini Museum, teenagers gravitate to the illusions and coding, and adults are more engaged than they’d admit. It genuinely spans the whole family.
How long should we allow?
Three to four hours is typical, and kids nearly always want to revisit a favourite zone. Add time if you’re doing a workshop or two; a half-day feels rushed, but a full day is overkill for most.
How much does it cost?
Around 210 DKK per adult, 150 DKK for children 3–11, and free for under-3s. The family ticket (2+2) is roughly 525 DKK, and entry is included with the Copenhagen Card.
How do we get there?
Take the S-train C-line from Copenhagen Central to Hellerup (about 18 minutes, roughly 40 DKK), then it’s a 5-minute walk — around 25 minutes door to door.
Is it good for toddlers?
Yes — the Mini Museum is a dedicated, walled-off zone for ages 0–3 with soft play and sensory exhibits, kept safely apart from the busier floor. It’s also quieter than many of the city’s other attractions.
Is it good for adults?
More than you’d think. The 3XN building is worth seeing, the Tesla coil show is a genuine spectacle, and the engineering, physics and Mind Maze zones hold adult attention just fine.
Experimentarium or Den Blå Planet?
They’re complementary rather than competing. Experimentarium suits hands-on, science-minded kids aged 5–15; Den Blå Planet works for marine-life lovers of any age. Plenty of families fit both across a longer stay.
Related reading
Final Thoughts
This is the one to have in your back pocket for a wet day with restless kids. Experimentarium turns science into something you do rather than read about — build a robot, stand inside a lightning storm, flood a dam — and it holds toddlers through teenagers thanks to those age-zoned rooms. Go on a weekday, plan around the Tesla coil, bring dry clothes for the water zone, and give it a full afternoon. Then map the rest of the trip with our complete family travel guide and the wider roundup of Copenhagen’s best attractions.
Last updated: July 2026. Photo credits: Copenhagen Tourism image library.
