Family vacation in Minsk: things to see and do with children in the Capital of Belarus

This review covers the best things to do with children in Minsk on a weekend, a summer or winter vacation: waterparks and amusement parks, interactive museums and performances for kids, parks, theaters, and other kids-friendly venues and attractions.

 

 

 

 

 

Parks and Attractions in Minsk: Where to Go for a Walk with Kids?

 

The biggest Ferris wheel in Minsk - 54 metres tall - is open at the Gorky Park in the summer. Visitors can also ride rollercoasters and carousels, race on the motordrome, shoot in the dash and jump on the trampoline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second biggest, 27.5-meter-tall Ferris wheel is located in the Chelyuskin Public Park. There are other attractions for children and adults here as well: rides, a sports area, and a dance floor. The Zaslonovo train station (of the Minsk Children’s Railway) is located not far from the entrance to the park.

 

In summer, there are kids-friendly activities taking place at the 900th Anniversary of Minsk Park, in the 50th Anniversary of October Park, and at Dreamland. At the Victory Park, visitors can rent a bike and ride a boat around the Komsomolskoye lake.

 

The Botanical Garden is located close to Chelyuskin Park. Walking excursions take place in the garden from May to October, its participants can learn about medical and tropical plants. In winter, new routes around the dendrary, lemonary and orangery are opened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In summer, it might be a good idea to go outside of the city, to the Zaslavskoye reservoir (also known as the Minsk Sea). People play beach volleyball on the shore, there is also a boat station at the pier, where it is possible to rent a boat. Pleasure boat routes start from here, water promenades down the Svislach river can also start from the Gorky or the Victory Park.

 

 

Waterparks in Minsk: Lebyazhy and Dreamland

 

The Lebyazhy Waterpark was opened in May 2014. In summer, visitors can swim here and slide down the four outdoor slides. Indoors, there are pools for children and adults, seven slides and the Spa Territory zone, which are open year-round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After visiting the Lebyazhy waterpark, kids are invited to the KazKi play area, which has slot machines, a labirinth, and a ball pit. For older children and adults, there is the Dark Ride, where passengers have to shoot at monsters and aliens right from the cabins.

 

In the summer of 2016, the Dreamland amusement park got its own waterpark, also named Dreamland. The extreme rides will not be open at first, but in the open air  the are the wave pool and  the Lazy River, visitors can also sunbathe on the deck chairs and relax in a cafe. For children, there is a separate zone with a small swimming pool and a play area with slides, fountains and cannons.

 

 

The Minsk Zoo, Aquarium and Dolphinarium

 

About 400 species of animals and birds live at Minsk Zoo. Lions and a leopard, bears and camels can be seen in confinement; there are also a serpentarium, an alpine park with goats, and a birds yard. At the petting zoo, children can pet and feed pygmy goats, domestic lambs and hens. In summer, children’s attractions and a playground are open at the zoo, kids can also ride a horse at the Koni & Poni (Horses & Ponies) club. There is also the Dinopark with full size moving figures of dinosaurs at the zoo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nemo Dolphinarium is located within the zoo. There are four dolphins, a sea lion named Nicholas and two seals named Alex and Elka performing on the water stage. After the show, the dolphinarium visitors can visit the zoo for free with their dolphinarium tickets. 

 

The Open Ocean Aquarium is the place to see fish. The tours here start with a blow to the bell, after which visitors follow throught the five exhibition halls, dedicated to different oceans. Moray eels and piranhas, shark cat and horseshoe crabs, clownfish and fish-surgeon can be seen swimming in aquariums; there are also turtles and glass catfish swimming in freshwater. The Open Ocean Aquarium holds edutainment lessons for children, where they can learn about the starry sky and trips around the globe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minsk Museums for Kids, Children’s Exhibitions in the Capital of Belarus

 

For exposer to the Belarusian folk culture, families can go to the two open-air museums: Dudutki and Ozertso. At these museums, excursions and artisan workshops are held throughout the year. Traditional folk festivals and celebrations are organized here with games, dancing and singing.

 

At the skansen in the village of Ozertso (also known as Strochitsy), wooden structures from the 19th and 20th centuries, brought here from Central Belarus, the Belarusian Lake District (Poozerye) and Podneprovye are presented. Visitors can learn about the everyday life of Belarusian peasants and artisans in the houses, churches, school and windmill. There is also a tavern offering Belarusian traditional dishes.

 

On excursions at the Dudutki museum, kids can learn the windmill works and see what the artisan workshops are like from the inside, and even ride in an old carriage. Visitors can also see a blacksmith, a baker, a cheesemonger, a potter, and a miller at work, and even try assisting them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Belarusian National History and Culture Museum visitors can learn about ancient settlements and the history of Nyamiha and Troieschyna. There is also an interactive tour for schoolchildren under the name of Those Who Seek Will Find, which is organized as a quest with answers to questions to be found at the exhibition.

 

The artworks of Belarusian and European artists are presented at the Belarusian National Arts Museum. Here visitors can see Belarusian art from the 10th to the 20th century, there are also halls with Russian, European and Eastern art. Interactive tours are organized here for schoolchildren, for instance, kids are offered to examine the interior of a noble family's living room, explore the fragment of old stove tiles and paint a tile themselves.

 

Passenger, transport and military planes can be seen at the Aircraft Museum in Minsk. Among the 30 flying vehicles, there are training planes, battle-planes, helicopters, and even a real ejection seat trainer. Visitors can sit in the pilot's seat in one of the planes and in a helicopter.

 

Cosmic Flights for all are offered at the Spherical Movie Theater of the Minsk Planetarium. Antoshka, the astronomy-elf or Neznaika (a popular Russia book and cartoon character) tell younger schoolchildren about the stars and planets, while teenagers and adults can watch full-dome movies about the Universe and the history of space navigation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National museum of Theatre and Musical Culture tells about the very first theatre play in Belarus. Visitors can learn about the Christmas fair puppet plays (“Batleika”), folk music, Belarusian actors, and look at stage costumes. The museum also organizes Batleika sideshows and detective quests for teams, titles The Search of the Innocent.

 

The observation deck at the Belarusian National Library is open all year round. When the weather is good, visitors can go to the open area on the 23rd floor, and in the cold weather, there is the glass gallery on the 22nd floor. On summer evenings, the library facade is light up.

 

The Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum opened in the summer of 2014. The exhibition has planes, tanks, cannons and cars, reconstructed dioramas of a partisan camp, the Battle of the Dnieper, an air battle, and a tank battle. Visitors can view short battle reconstruction videos on interactive screens, read 'The Burnt Book' about the Belarusian villages destroyed by Nazi invaders, and piece together weapons used in the World War II. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment for Children in Minsk

 

Indoor amusement parks in Minsk offer entertainment to kids all year round. There are ball pits, labyrinths and playgrounds for small kids, air hockey, video games and race simulators for older children. Parks welcome children up to the age of 12 and are located in various parts of the city: the Dino Park is at the Minsk zoo, Discovery - at the Korona Shopping Center, and the Tsargrad - at Expobel shopping complex.

 

In 2014, two L-club Lego Centres opened up in Minsk. Both have Lego City exhibitions, tables full of Lego blocks, educational toys and construction sets available to children aged 3 to 12, however young kids (under 3 y.o.) need parental supervision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children's Theatres and Family Performances in Minsk

 

Buratino (Pinokkio), Moydodyr, Little Red Riding Hood and Karlsson-on-the-Roof in Russian and Belarusian are played at the Belarusian Puppet Theatre. The TYZ Youth Theatre has plays for kids in Belarusian. Kids are always welcome at Belarusian Circus, and there are some family-friendly performances at the Opera & Ballet Theater in Minsk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please look for family-friendly events worldwide in our What’s On section.

 

Photos: kidsreview.ru, vk.com/club67283166, vk.com/dudutki, vk.com/planetarium_by, wikipedia.org, warmuseum.by