For guilt-free shopping without your kids, drop them off in this indoor miniature city – complete with a school, a fire station, a hospital and a bank – where they get to dress up and slip into adult roles to playfully explore what it’s like to be a firefighter, a doctor, a mechanic, a pilot or other professional.

They even earn a salary (Kidzania has its own currency, the kidZo) with which they can buy goods and services, thus learning the value of money. Most activities are geared to kids ages four to 16, but there's also a toddler zone and a baby care centre.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Downtown Dubai attractions

1. Dubai Dino

0.06 MILES

The Jurassic era meets the future in Dubai Mall's Souk Dome, the home of Amphicoelias brontodiplodocus, an almost complete 155-million-year-old dinosaur…

2. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

0.11 MILES

Dubai Mall’s most mesmerising sight is this gargantuan aquarium where thousands of beasties flit and dart amid artificial coral. Sharks and rays are top…

3. Dubai Fountain

0.27 MILES

This dancing fountain is spectacularly set in the middle of a giant lake against the backdrop of the glittering Burj Khalifa. Water undulates as…

4. Burj Khalifa

0.4 MILES

The Burj Khalifa is a stunning feat of architecture and engineering, with two observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors and a restaurant-bar on the…

5. Tabari Artspace

1.22 MILES

Don't be deceived by the relatively small gallery space here; the emphasis is firmly on quality rather than quantity. This is one of the pioneering…

6. Empty Quarter

1.23 MILES

It's always worth stopping by this top-notch gallery, which is the only one in the UAE focused entirely on fine-art photography. While providing a…

7. Cuadro

1.26 MILES

In a fabulous space taking up the entire ground floor of Gate Village’s Building 10, this highly regarded gallery shines the spotlight on midcareer and…

8. Dubai Design District

1.26 MILES

Creative folks have a new HQ in Dubai. The fresh-off-the-drawing board Dubai Design District (d3) has drawn both regional and international talent and…