Old zoo charm meets hands-on science today. At ARTIS in Amsterdam, you can watch newborn elephant calves play outdoors and soak up the park’s classic canal-side feel.

I also love the interactive museum at ARTIS-Groote Museum, where you explore nature through touch, smell, sound, and hands-on machines.

The only consideration: it’s a full day, so you’ll want to plan around zoo and museum opening hours to avoid rushing.

Key highlights worth planning for

• New elephant calves outside: a rare, energetic moment that sets the tone for the whole zoo visit.
• Elephant Expedition trail: foot trails and an elephant-focused activity that’s built for curious minds.
• Kerbertterras Madagascar mix: ring-tailed lemurs, red ruffed lemurs, and turtles living together in one renewed space.
• Planetarium included: a space journey with stars and planets, folded into your zoo admission.
• Hands-on nature at Groote Museum: you’re meant to interact, not just look.

A canal-side day at ARTIS: zoo plus Groote Museum

This is one of the easiest ways to spend a day in Amsterdam without bouncing around the city. ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo and ARTIS-Groote Museum sit in the same ARTIS complex area, with the zoo running right on a canal. It’s about a 10-minute ride from the city center, which makes it realistic even if you’ve got limited time.

What I like about the combo is simple: you get animal encounters in the zoo, then you switch gears to human-and-nature connections in the museum. The ticket is also strong value for families or anyone who likes both living animals and science-style exhibits. And because ARTIS is one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands, the setting feels more like a long-standing city landmark than a temporary attraction.

Starting at ARTIS-Groote Museum: set your tempo

Your practical starting point is ARTIS-Groote Museum. That matters because the museum opens at 10:00 a.m. daily, while the zoo opens earlier (9:00 a.m. seasonally). If you arrive at the museum first, you can build momentum with interactive exhibits while you wait for the zoo crowds to thin or for your preferred time in the park.

ARTIS-Groote Museum runs 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and every Thursday it stays open until 10:00 p.m. That late day can be a lifesaver if you like a slower pace, or if your day in Amsterdam got delayed.

A key detail: the museum sits on Artisplein, next to the Chilean flamingos. You’ll know where you are right away, because flamingos are hard to ignore.

ARTIS Royal Zoo: elephants, lions, gorillas, and the big moments

ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, and it shows in the way the grounds are arranged. You’ll get historic-feeling areas plus modern animal exhibits, and the whole park is designed so you can keep moving from one section to the next without losing your bearings.

Newborn elephant calves and the Elephant Expedition

The headline act is the elephant area, especially because the winter moment here is elephant calves being born. You’re not just reading about elephants. You’re there when the babies are playing outside.

A big activity is the Elephant Expedition. Expect foot trails, elephant facts, and an interactive challenge built around cracking an elephant code. This is the kind of thing that keeps kids engaged without turning into a boring lesson for adults. Even if you’re traveling solo, it gives your visit a clear theme, and it helps you slow down enough to actually watch behavior instead of just passing through.

If you visit during spring holiday, there are added child-focused activities where kids can craft their own elephant enclosure. That’s worth planning for if your trip aligns with school breaks.

The animals you should be ready to see

The zoo includes a range of animals, including Asian elephants, lions, Western lowland gorillas, and African penguins. That mix is useful. If you find yourself spending extra time at elephants, you won’t feel like the rest of the park will disappoint. You can also keep a flexible rhythm: do a longer stop where you’re seeing active behavior, then move on when the energy dips.

After-hour calm and night-leaning activity

There’s also an after-hour walk through the park, designed to show how the atmosphere shifts as evening settles in. The idea is that some animals become more active later, and the calm gives you a different kind of viewing experience. If you’re the type who enjoys quieter moments and watching animals more attentively, build in time for this option. If you hate waiting around, plan your visit so you don’t end up sprinting between exhibits.

Kerbertterras and Madagascar: lemurs and turtles in a renewed habitat

One of the most interesting zoo sections is the renewed Kerbertterras, formerly the lion’s enclosure. Instead of being a leftover space, it’s turned into a Madagascar-themed area where you can see how different species share space.

What you’ll look for here:

• Ring-tailed lemurs
• Red ruffed lemurs
• Turtles

Seeing these animals together gives the area a more “ecosystem” feel than a simple single-species display. It also makes your walk more engaging because you’ll naturally scan side to side, checking branches, ground level, and movement patterns.

Asian small-clawed otters near red panda habitat: an easy win

After the Madagascar section, you can head toward the new enclosure of the Asian small-clawed otters, located next to the red panda habitat. The layout is convenient because it groups two fun-to-watch species close together.

Otters tend to reward patient looking. If you catch them in motion, your whole day feels more vivid. If they’re resting, you still get a chance to observe how they use their space, and that usually means you’ll end up staying a bit longer than you planned—in a good way.

Planetarium included: stars and planets without extra tickets

The zoo visit also includes the Planetarium, which is a smart add-on. It’s an indoor break from walking, and it fits perfectly if the weather turns gray or windy.

You’ll get a journey through space: stars, planets, and your place in the universe. It won’t replace a full astronomy museum, but it’s a meaningful stop, especially for kids. For adults, it’s also a nice mental reset after focusing on animal habitats all morning.

ARTIS-Groote Museum: touch, smell, listen, and connect to nature

If the zoo is about living animals, ARTIS-Groote Museum is about your relationship to them—and to the natural world around you.

This is Amsterdam’s interactive museum of nature. The goal is hands-on discovery. You’ll use senses: touching, smelling, listening, and observing. Instead of presenting nature as something distant, it nudges you to see yourself as part of the ecosystem.

1,000 examples and an ecosystem point of view

A core idea in the museum is that humans, animals, plants, and microbes all work together in one ecosystem. You’ll see comparisons that highlight the similarities between you and other living things, built around those “one small example at a time” moments.

A few of the types of facts you may run into:

• Trees communicating with each other
• Babies moving in ways similar to crocodiles

You don’t need to memorize these. The point is that the museum uses examples to make you feel the connections, not just read about them.

Tanja: Up Close and the hippopotamus focus

There’s also a new exhibition called Tanja: Up Close, about Amsterdam’s most famous hippopotamus. That’s a good anchor exhibit if you want a clear story inside a museum that otherwise ranges across many themes.

And because the museum is interactive, it gives you a reason to slow down. You’ll spend time pushing buttons, trying stations, and reacting to what you notice—more than you’d do in a typical museum hall.

Activities and lectures during holidays

There are also various activities and lectures you can attend, including during spring holiday. If your trip lines up with those periods, it’s worth checking what’s happening on the day you arrive so you can plug in something extra without overplanning.

Ticket value at about $55: what you get (and what you skip)

At roughly $55 per person for a day, this combo can be good value because it stacks two major experiences:

• ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo admission
• ARTIS-Groote Museum admission

The planetarium is also included with zoo admission, which improves the deal because indoor options cost extra at many attractions.

One important note: ARTIS Micropia is not included. If you specifically want bacteria and microbes as a main theme, you’ll have to decide whether to add Micropia separately. If you’re happy with the broader ecosystem approach at Groote Museum, you can skip Micropia and still get a full, satisfying day.

Also keep the free-entry info in mind. Infants 0–2 can enter the zoo for free, and children 0–12 can enter the Groote Museum for free. If you’re traveling as a family, that can significantly change the value math.

Practical tips for timing, walking, and comfort

This is a “plan your day” kind of ticket, not a “wander forever” one.

Work with opening hours

The zoo runs on seasonal hours:

• Nov 1 to Feb 28: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Mar 1 to Oct 31: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The museum runs:

• Daily: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday: until 10:00 p.m.

So if you want a full zoo + museum day, start early. If you prefer a slower pace, lean on Thursday for more breathing room at the museum.

Expect lots of walking, and plan breaks

You’ll connect multiple zones: elephants, Madagascar lemurs/turtles, otters and red pandas, then the planetarium, then the museum galleries and interactive stations. Even if you love walking, it’s smart to build in short pauses so you can actually enjoy what you’re seeing.

Wheelchair and stroller-friendly approach

Wheelchairs are available, and reservation is not required for the zoo. The overall experience is wheelchair accessible as well. If you’re traveling with mobility needs, this matters because it lets you focus on the experience instead of logistics.

Smoke-free park

The zoo is a smoke-free park, which is good news if you’re sensitive to smoke or you’re traveling with kids.

Should you book the ARTIS Royal Zoo and Groote Museum combo?

Book it if you want a real “Amsterdam day” that isn’t just canals and museums with glass cases. The biggest reason is the combination of animal highlights (especially the newborn elephant calves and the Elephant Expedition) with a museum that gets hands-on and sensory—at 1,000 examples worth of nature-and-connection ideas.

Skip or rethink if you only care about one piece. If you’re strictly an animal-only visitor, you might prefer something focused just on the zoo. If you’re strictly obsessed with microbes, you’ll likely want to add Micropia separately, since it’s not included here.

If you’re traveling with kids, it’s an especially easy yes. The free entry for younger children at the museum, plus the interactive museum style and elephant activities, gives you multiple ways to keep everyone engaged without dragging.

In a city that can be expensive and crowded, this ticket offers a lot of variety per day, with clear built-in pacing from zoo to museum.

FAQ

Where do I start for this ticket?

You should arrive directly at ARTIS – Groote Museum, which is listed as the meeting point.

How long is the visit valid for?

The ticket is valid for 1 day. You’ll check availability to see starting times.

What’s included in the combo?

Admission to ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo and admission to ARTIS Groote Museum are included.

Is ARTIS Micropia included?

No. Admission to ARTIS Micropia is not included.

Are children admitted for free?

Yes. Infants aged 0–2 can enter ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo for free, and children aged 0–12 can enter ARTIS-Groote Museum for free.

What are the opening hours for the zoo and museum?

The zoo is open daily, with seasonal hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from November 1 to February 28, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from March 1 to October 31. ARTIS-Groote Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and every Thursday until 10:00 p.m.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes. Wheelchair accessibility is provided. Wheelchairs are available at the zoo and reservation is not required.