Museums in Málaga Worth Visiting with Kids

1. Museo Fundación Unicaja de Artes y Costumbres Populares
Art and traditions of Andalusia

This ethnographic museum shows everyday life in Málaga and the entire province of Andalusia, with a particular focus on the 19th century. The permanent exhibition is spread across 2 floors and 19 rooms:

• Ground floor: rural life (agriculture, crafts, traditional professions)
• Upper floor: urban, domestic, and social life

Children can see reconstructions of workshops from old professions, traditional costumes, tools, and household furnishings, which makes it much easier to “read” history through tangible objects. An additional advantage is that the museum is housed in a former 17th-century inn, which in itself is a fascinating journey back in time.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• Colorful displays of clothing and tools provide context for conversations about the history of everyday life.
• Children can see how everyday objects have changed over time.
• The exhibitions are spacious and easy to navigate with a stroller or young explorers.

Tip for parents:

Among the exhibits are figurines and miniature models of household objects as well as toys from old Andalusia, illustrating how children played in the past. Present the exhibits as stories of children who lived “a long time ago” – this immediately builds engagement.

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2. Centre Pompidou Málaga
Modern art in the heart of the city

A branch of the famous French contemporary art museum Centre Pompidou presents 20th- and 21st-century art along with regularly changing temporary exhibitions. The narrative of the collection guides visitors through key movements of modern art, and some works come directly from the main Centre Pompidou collection.

For families, one of the greatest advantages is the diversity of forms: colors, scale, abstraction, and unconventional shapes often strongly stimulate children’s imagination. The museum includes playful, child-friendly installations, but it is still a proper museum — some exhibits invite interaction, while others are meant to be observed without touch. A little guidance from adults goes a long way in ensuring a calm and enjoyable visit. Changing exhibitions also make it easier to tailor the experience to a child’s age.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

Centre Pompidou Málaga offers a dedicated educational space specifically designed for children, created as an area for play and artistic experimentation. It is only within this designated children’s area that young visitors can explore contemporary art through movement, play, and simple hands-on activities, rather than passive observation.

How to show art to a child:

• Encourage the child to describe in a few words what they see and how it makes them feel. Ask a few questions: what does the artwork remind them of or “What do you think the artist meant?” – this can be used for interpretative play.
• Create your own mini gallery of drawings after the visit – each child interprets what they saw.

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3. Museo del Automóvil y la Moda
Cars and fashion in one place

The museum combines nearly 100 restored cars with a rich fashion collection: haute couture, accessories, and styles from the turn of the 19th/20th century to the present day. This makes it an ideal museum for both boys and girls. The exhibition is divided into themed rooms showing changes in design, luxury, and technology.

This is a “family museum by nature” – children explore and marvel at the cars and technical details, while adults appreciate the cultural and aesthetic context. The visit is perfect for talking about how people’s needs and the appearance of everyday objects have changed.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• For many children, cars are a passion in themselves.
• Colorful models and imaginative outfits attract the eye and imagination.
• It’s a great place to talk about how design and style change.

Tip for parents:

Ask children to choose the “coolest car” and the “most interesting outfit” – then create a mini story together.

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4. OXO Museo del Videojuego
Video game museum

OXO guides visitors through the history of video games: from the first arcade machines to modern consoles. A key element of the museum is interaction – you don’t just watch, you also play.

Children are drawn by the colors, sounds, and the opportunity to act, while parents often appreciate the historical section and the comparison of “then vs now.” This is one of those museums where parents can explore alongside their children, and the whole family can enjoy spending time together.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• Interactive gaming stations (old and new) engage children for longer.
• It’s a chance to show the history of technology through play.
• For parents – also an element of nostalgia.

How to use the visit:

• Create your own “family game ranking.”
• Talk about how technology has changed over the years.

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5. Museo de la Imaginación
Museum of imagination

Museo de la Imaginación is an interactive museum of optical illusions, perspective, and 3D effects, designed with children’s active participation in mind. Inside are installations using mirrors, light, shadow, and images that show how the brain interprets what we see. Children can experience changes in scale (appearing very large or very small), “walk on walls,” and observe how images change depending on the point of view.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• The museum introduces concepts related to perception, illusion, perspective, and vision in a simple way. It’s a good place to ask questions like: “Why do we see this differently than it really is?” or “What makes an image look three-dimensional?” The visit is a short, intensive educational experience that combines play with basic science and observation.
• Children can experiment, move, try things out, and discover.

Tip for parents:

This is an ideal place to combine learning with fun – instead of explaining, let the child first experience the installation, and only then ask what they noticed and why they think the image “tricks” the eye. Open-ended questions work well, ones that don’t require a single correct answer, such as what changes when you stand in a different place or look from another angle. This way, the child reaches conclusions on their own and treats the visit like an experiment rather than a lesson.

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6. Museo Aeronáutico de Málaga
History of aviation

A large space dedicated to the history of civil aviation, including a 1948 control tower, cockpits, airport infrastructure elements, and exhibitions explaining the principles of flight.

This is a very “hands-on” museum – children can see, touch, and understand how the world of airplanes works. Great for young fans of travel and machines.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• Large exhibits and realistic models attract attention and give a sense of “being in the world of real pilots.”
• You can combine the visit with playing at building your own flying models or making origami airplanes.

How to show art to a child:

Don’t focus only on the technology – talk about the people who were pioneers of aviation.

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7. Museo Picasso Málaga
Art for young eyes

Although this is a “serious” museum dedicated to a single artist, Picasso often fascinates children – his works are full of colors and unconventional forms.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• Children naturally respond to shapes, colors, and figures in Picasso’s art.
• You can prepare a simple task: “Find a painting that looks like your favorite color.”

Tip for parents:

After the visit, encourage the child to create their own interpretation – a drawing inspired by what they saw.

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8. Museo Ruso
Classical and modern Russian art

Located in the Tabacalera complex, the museum presents large temporary exhibitions related to Russian art. Themes change regularly and are often presented narratively – through characters, eras, and stories.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• The opportunity to compare different artistic styles with what was seen earlier.
• The themes and forms of the works develop aesthetic sensitivity.
• Best suited for school-aged children, especially if they are introduced to the exhibition theme beforehand.

How to show art to a child:

Ask: “What does this artwork remind you of?” – this helps enter the world of abstraction and symbolism.

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9. Museo del Patrimonio Municipal
The city’s history through objects

Museo del Patrimonio Municipal (MUPAM) is a museum dedicated to the history, art, and heritage of Málaga, showing how the city has changed over the centuries. Exhibitions are presented chronologically and include paintings, sculptures, documents, and objects related to city life. For children, the museum can be a good introduction to the topic of “what Málaga used to look like” and how everyday life of its inhabitants has changed. The space is calm, not too large, and easy to explore in a short time, which is conducive to visits with younger children. Although the museum is not interactive, it works well as a starting point for conversations about city history, art, and social change.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• An opportunity to show the city’s history in the context of everyday life.
• The exhibits connect the past with the present.

Tip for parents:

Give children a simple “explorer’s map” – a checklist of things to find in the museum rooms.

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10. Museo del Vidrio y Cristal de Málaga
Glass and crystal

Museo del Vidrio y Cristal de Málaga is an intimate museum dedicated to the history of glass and crystal, presented in the context of art, craftsmanship, and historical interiors. The collection includes objects from different eras, showing how glass techniques and functions have changed over the centuries. For children, light, colors, and details are particularly attractive, naturally drawing attention and stimulating curiosity. A major advantage of the museum is that visits are always guided, which helps maintain the attention of younger visitors. Thanks to the narrative, children more easily understand what the objects were used for and why they were important. It’s a good place to teach careful observation, patience, and respect for delicate materials.

For children, it works like a “cabinet of treasures”: shine, light, and details attract attention and make it easier to focus.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• Shiny forms act like a magnet – they attract attention even from younger children.
• It’s a good opportunity to talk about materials, form, and light in art.

How to show art to a child:

Show different glass-making techniques and ask children to describe how they think the objects were made.

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11. Interactive Music Museum Málaga
Sound, rhythm, play

Interactive Music Museum Málaga is one of the best museums in Málaga to visit with children, where the rule “Se ruega tocar” applies – touching and experimenting are allowed. Children can touch instruments, experiment with sound, and see how different materials, sizes, and playing methods affect the sound. The museum naturally teaches basic concepts such as rhythm, tempo, pitch, and resonance, without the need for theoretical explanations. It’s a good place to talk about where music comes from and how different cultures have expressed themselves through sound.

Why it’s worth visiting with children:

• It’s one of the most engaging places in Málaga – children can play, touch, and create.
• It teaches how music and instruments work.

Tip for parents:

Suggest that the child find the instrument that surprised them the most and try to describe its sound using words or movement.

Activity:

After the visit, you can create your own “mini orchestra” at home using everyday objects, referring to the instruments encountered in the museum.

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A practical guide to visiting museums with children

How to prepare children for a meaningful museum visit

• Prepare a short story before the visit so the child knows what the museum is about and can engage more deeply.
• Prepare different questions before visit to guide attention and spark curiosity.
• Set a mission (explorers, designers, inventors, historians) to make the experience playful and purposeful.
• Give the child a simple task, such as finding something inspiring or surprising.
• Describe, don’t explain — let the child talk first about what they see.
• Focus on feelings, not facts: ask “How does this make you feel?”
• Allow enough time and plan breaks, following the child’s natural rhythm.

Creative ways to explore museums together: proven ideas that really work

• Turn the child into an “expert” – before entering, choose one theme (e.g., colors, sounds, vehicles, emotions) and declare the child a specialist in that area. Their task is to give a “report” after leaving.
• Play museum detectives – ask the child to find something very old, something strange, and something that could also exist today.
• Invent a story for one object – choose a single exhibit and create a short story together: who used it, what it was for, what it “saw.”
• Drawing instead of notes – encourage the child after the visit to draw one object they remember.
• Movement task – e.g., “find something taller than you” or “something that looks like it could make a sound.”
• Time scale – ask: “Was this before grandma was born, or even earlier?” – children understand history more easily through family references.
• Museum in 3 words – after leaving, let each child describe the museum in three words or one gesture.
• Souvenir object – agree that each museum “leaves” one object in your memory that you will remember for a long time.

This approach turns a museum from “a place to look at things” into an experience to live through and remember.

We invite you to follow our video series “Museums Tested with Kids” on Instagram and to comment on which of these museums your family has visited and what surprised you the most!