NEMO is not exactly a museum, but rather a science and educational center for children and teenagers. Here you won't find traditional signs like “do not touch,” “do not sit on the exhibits,” or “do not cross the line.” On the contrary, here you can and even should touch, try, and experiment with everything. After all, you can't understand science without experiments!
NEMO is located not far from Central Station, on the bank of the IJ River. Next to it is the Maritime Museum. But you will not need these landmarks if you know what this building looks like from the outside. It resembles the bow of a giant ship emerging from the water — remember Jules Verne's science-fiction novel “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and its Captain Nemo? It is simply impossible to walk past something LIKE THAT!
Inside, the building is designed no less intriguingly than outside. All the utilities, ventilation pipes, floor structures — in short, everything that is usually hidden from view — is literally put on display here. This is also part of the exhibition, allowing you to see with your own eyes what buildings are made of. The architect of this structure was Renzo Piano — one of the founders of the “high-tech” style.
Inside, there are five floors. And at the very top there is a large observation deck. Each floor is dedicated to a certain age, and the higher the level, the older the children there are. The first floor is about the DNA chain and various chain reactions. They put on a whole show about this here. In addition, here you can see a flying car and giant dominoes.
On the second floor there is a cafeteria, something like a movie theater, and an entire ball factory where the balls have to be sorted and packed. Here you can also conduct various experiments with electricity, watch lightning strike, see how the water cycle works, and much, much more.
The third floor is a real science laboratory where you can experiment with vitamin C and see DNA. By the way, there are a lot of robots in the museum; they not only move, but also talk. Some of them look like people, some like animals.
The fourth floor is about the amazing capabilities of the human brain. Here you can test your memory and check how the sense organs work. There is also a special terminal at which you can literally make faces. It scans your facial expression and gives you your overall mood: whether you are angry, upset, or happy.
On the fifth floor you can have a snack and at the same time admire the beautiful views of Amsterdam.
