Bristol is a brilliant city for children. The three obvious wins are hands-on science at We The Curious (about £21 adult, £14.50 child), Brunel's SS Great Britain (£22, and the ticket lasts a year) and the free M Shed on the harbour. Add Concorde at Aerospace Bristol, the aquarium and the free parks, and you can fill a week. Here are eight of the best, with 2026 prices.
Prices checked August 2026; several attractions offer cheaper afternoon or online tickets, so check before you buy.
1. We The Curious
Photo: wethecurious.org
Harbourside, Millennium Square. Hands-on science with a planetarium, reopened in July 2024 after a fire. Around £21.20 adult and £14.50 child (cheaper after 3pm; planetarium a few pounds extra). The go-to rainy-day family day.
2. SS Great Britain
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Harbourside. Brunel's great iron ship, the dockyard museum and the dry dock, at £22 adult and £13.50 child, with the ticket valid for a year of return visits. Older children can pay extra to climb the rigging.
3. M Shed
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Harbourside. Bristol's own history museum, free to enter, open Tuesday to Sunday. Hands-on exhibits, cranes and boats outside, and a genuinely engaging story of the city. Unbeatable value.
4. Aerospace Bristol
Photo: aerospacebristol.org
Filton, north of the city. Home to the last Concorde, which you can step aboard, plus aircraft and space exhibits; about £20 adult online, £13.50 child, on an annual ticket. 2026 marks Concorde's 50th anniversary.
5. Bristol Aquarium
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Harbourside. A central aquarium with sharks, rays and a tropical forest, at about £21.95 adult and £14.75 junior, with online tickets valid any day within six months. Easy to combine with the harbourside sights.
6. Bristol Zoo Project
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Near Cribbs Causeway, north of the city (book online). The successor to the old Clifton zoo, which closed in 2022, on a 136-acre forest site with Bear Wood. Prices vary by season, so book ahead online.
7. Ashton Court Estate
Photo: ashtoncourt.wixsite.com
Long Ashton, west. Free. 850 acres of parkland with a deer park, play areas, trails and pitch-and-putt, open from 8am. Perfect for burning off energy for nothing.
8. Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Central. Free. A hilltop park with a play area, squirrels, a nature reserve and a climbable tower with city views. A great free stop between harbourside attractions.
The honest alternative
You don't need to spend much: M Shed, Ashton Court and Brandon Hill are all free and easily fill a day, and the harbourside ferries are a cheap treat in themselves. Save the paid attractions for a rainy day or a special one. For wet-weather options specifically, see Bristol in the rain.
FAQs
What is there to do in Bristol with kids?
Top family attractions include We The Curious (hands-on science), the SS Great Britain, the free M Shed museum, Aerospace Bristol (home of Concorde), Bristol Aquarium and the Bristol Zoo Project, plus free parks like Ashton Court and Brandon Hill.
What free things can you do in Bristol with children?
M Shed museum, Ashton Court Estate, Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower are all free, and the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery (a rainy-day option) is free too. The harbourside itself is a free day out with cheap ferry rides.
How much is We The Curious in Bristol?
Around £21.20 for an adult and £14.50 for a child in 2026, with cheaper tickets after 3pm and the planetarium a few pounds extra. It reopened in July 2024 after the 2022 fire.
Is the SS Great Britain worth it with kids?
Yes. The ticket (£22 adult, £13.50 child) is valid for unlimited return visits for a year, there are hands-on exhibits and the dockyard, and older children can pay to climb the ship's rigging for a harbour view.