Terms and conditions

Terms and Conditions for Visitors

Terms and Conditions for Visitors at NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam
December 2023 

Introduction
NEMO Science Museum, hereinafter referred to as ‘NEMO’, will do all that is reasonably possible to ensure that the visit to the museum and any exhibitions and activities organised by NEMO meets with visitors’ expectations. NEMO will exercise the utmost care with respect to visitors. NEMO makes every effort to minimise any inconvenience or discomfort for the visitor and to guarantee the visitor’s safety to the maximum extent possible. NEMO is happy to receive suggestions from visitors for improving its services. Visitors are offered the opportunity to submit their observations and/or suggestions at the Ticket Office.

1. General provisions: definitions
Article 1.1
‘NEMO’ refers to the organisation that manages and operates the museum, including, but not limited to, the management, public-facing and catering staff and security, as well as other officials who are authorised to act on behalf of this organisation.

Article 1.2
The term ‘the Museum’ refers to the entire area (built-on or vacant) situated in Amsterdam at Oosterdok 2 which falls under the legal and administrative authority of the NEMO management, including, but not limited to, exhibition and event spaces, restaurants and cafés, roof terrace, rooftop square and other outdoor areas.

Article 1.3
The term ‘Visitor’ refers to any person who enters the Museum and/or visits an exhibition or is invited as a guest to attend an activity organized in the Museum by NEMO or by third parties with NEMO’s permission, including anyone entering the Museum in connection with the renting of rooms, catering and/or visiting the shop.

Article 1.4
From the time a Visitor enters the Museum, either as a paying visitor or as a guest, they are deemed to have entered into an agreement with NEMO which is subject to the present Terms and Conditions for Visitors. The Terms and Conditions for Visitors also apply to special activities within or outside of the regular opening hours and/or are intended for persons other than regular Visitors, such as activities in relation to the renting of rooms, catering, a visit to the shop, etc. Deviations from these Terms and Conditions are only valid if they have been agreed on explicitly and in writing.

2. Access to the Museum
Article 2.1
Visitors are only entitled to enter the various rooms at the Museum on presentation of a valid admission ticket or, in case of access as referred to in Articles 1.3 and 1.4. The Visitor may only enter via the designated entrances and pathways.

Article 2.2
Visitors will be barred further access to the Museum if NEMO finds any of the following to be true:
a) The admission ticket has not been issued by NEMO or by an agency or legal person authorised hereto by NEMO;
b) The Visitor is manifestly under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs;
c) The Visitor manifestly creates a disturbance or has an obvious intention of creating a disturbance;
d) The Visitor wishes to enter the Museum barefoot and/or bare-chested;
e) The Visitor fails to behave in accordance with public order, public morality or rules of decency.

Article 2.3
Admission tickets may be purchased at the Ticket Office or in advance online. A ticket purchased in advance becomes invalid by the mere expiry of the time or period stated on the ticket.

Article 2.4
NEMO is entitled to adjust the regular opening hours in connection with occasional exercises performed in the context of in-house emergency services (Section 23 of the Working Conditions Act (Arbowet)) or in case of a partial or complete evacuation of the building as deemed necessary by NEMO in the event of an emergency.

Article 2.5
NEMO reserves the right to subject every Visitor and their luggage to access control. As part of this control, the Visitor may be requested to cooperate in the search of bags and the like conducted by or on behalf of NEMO employees. Any Visitor who refuses to cooperate in the search may be denied access to the Museum and will not be entitled to a refund of the admission ticket.

Article 2.6
The following items (hereinafter referred to as ‘Prohibited Items’) may not be brought into the Museum:

a. Rifles, firearms and guns: any object that can be used to shoot a projectile or cause injury or property damage or which appears to be capable of being used for this purpose;
b. Pointed and/or sharp weapons and sharp objects: objects with pointed or cutting edges that can cause injury or property damage;
c. Blunt objects that can cause injury;
d. Hazardous substances such as explosive, flammable, chemical and/or toxic substances

Article 2.7
If, during the access control or later during the visit, NEMO finds the Prohibited Items or any other items that may cause damage, NEMO shall confiscate these items. If the Visitor does not wish to surrender the items liable for confiscation, they will be denied access to NEMO and will not be entitled to a refund of the admission ticket. 

Article 2.8
Legally prohibited items found during access control will be handed over to the police. A Visitor with such items in their possession may be detained and handed over to the police.

Article 2.9
The Museum is located in a modern, accessible building with exhibitions and activities spread across different floors as well as on the roof terrace and rooftop square. NEMO is committed to ensuring full accessibility to the maximum extent possible. Circumstances both inside and outside the building that may affect personal accessibility must be taken into account. Individual circumstances and/or the weather conditions may have a significant influence on this.

Article 2.10
Visitors are advised to inform themselves of any restrictions with respect to personal accessibility. In particular, when entering the roof terrace or rooftop square, possible slipperiness due to weather conditions should be taken into account.

Article 2.11
Upon entering the Museum, Visitors are advised to inform themselves, via the floor plans and emergency exit signs, of the escape routes to be used in the event of an emergency or threat thereof. Use of the lifts is prohibited during an emergency.

Article 2.12
The Visitor is advised to contact the staff of the Service & Sales department for information about circumstances that may imply restrictions on personal accessibility and regarding the possibilities for individual assistance.

3. Ticket sales, offers and prices
Article 3.1
All quotes, notifications or information otherwise provided by NEMO in writing are, in principle, binding and NEMO accepts liability for any errors made by the Museum in such quotes, notifications or other information provided to the Visitor. However, this liability only applies to the Museum’s own information material which is available at the Museum at the time of the claim or which has been distributed recently or on behalf of the Museum. NEMO is not liable for errors caused by deliberate intent or incorrect and/or incomplete information provided by third parties.

Article 3.2
The Visitor is at all times obliged to show, on request, the admission ticket and any voucher or pass that entitles them to a discount on the admission price to Museum officials who are recognisable as such, including, but not limited to, security staff.

Article 3.3
The Visitor is not entitled to a refund of the admission price or any other compensation in the event of loss or theft of the admission ticket before entering the Museum. Failure to use a ticket purchased in advance is at the Visitor’s own risk and expense, as is the case if the admission ticket is only valid for a specific time and/or date. Once purchased, an admission ticket cannot be exchanged.

Article 3.4
Any obligation to refund the paid sums or payment of compensation by NEMO to the Visitor is excluded under the following circumstances:
a. In case one or more items from the permanent collection of NEMO are unavailable for viewing;
b. Partial closure of the Museum, including partial closure during the set-up or dismantling of exhibitions;
c. Adjustment of the regular opening hours in connection with exercises performed in the context of in-house emergency services or a complete or partial evacuation of the Museum deemed necessary by NEMO in the event of an emergency;
d. Nuisance or inconvenience caused by other Visitors such as noise, inappropriate behaviour or theft;
e. Damage caused by other Visitors;
f. Nuisance or inconvenience caused by maintenance works, including, but not limited to, the renovation, design or re-design of the rooms;
g. Nuisance or inconvenience due to the improper functioning of the facilities at the Museum;
h. Denial of access to the Museum.

Article 3.5
A potential Visitor may be denied access to the Museum if it turns out that the admission ticket, discount card or voucher has not been obtained via NEMO or an agency authorized hereto by NEMO.

Article 3.6
Admission tickets are strictly personal and non-transferable.

Article 3.7
A Museumkaart is strictly personal and non-transferable. Visitors may be requested to show their Museumkaart when entering the Museum.

Article 3.8
NEMO offers special reduced rates for educational visits.
Terms and conditions for the special rate for schools:

  • Schools are required to book in advance.
  • Groups must be accompanied by a sufficient number of supervisors (one supervisor for every ten students).
  • Schools may visit NEMO outside the official school holidays.
  • A school visit lasts a maximum of 3 hours.
  • Payment with a Museumkaart is not possible.
  • A booking made in advance can be changed or cancelled in writing up to seven days before the visit (except for bookings made via the Cultuurkaart web order). 

Terms and conditions for the special rate for youth groups:

  • Youth groups are required to book in advance.
  • Groups must be accompanied by a sufficient number of supervisors (one supervisor for every ten members).
  • A youth group visit lasts a maximum of 3 hours.

Terms and conditions for the special rate for tour operators:

  • Tour operators are required to book in advance.
  • A group visit lasts a maximum of 3 hours.
  • The special rate for tour operators applies to the tour operator time slots: 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM.
  • If the size of the group changes by more or less than 10% of the pre-booked number of visitors, the difference in price will be charged or refunded. Changes must be notified no later than one week prior to the scheduled visit.

4. During the visit
Article 4.1
During the visit to the Museum, the Visitor must behave in accordance with public order, public morality and rules of decency applicable to the nature of the event being visited. The Visitor is forbidden to stay in or enter a section of the Museum other than that which the Visitor is permitted to visit with the admission ticket. The Visitor is also obliged to promptly follow any guidelines and instructions issued by NEMO officials who are recognisable as such, including, but not limited to, security staff. If, in the reasonable opinion of a duly authorized NEMO official, who must be recognisable as such, the Visitor acts in manner that is in any way in breach of these standards, guidelines or instructions, the Visitor may be denied further access to the Museum, without them being entitled to a refund of the costs of the admission ticket or any other costs incurred.

Article 4.2
Children under the age of 13 may only visit the Museum when accompanied by an adult. Parents or supervisors of children are at all times responsible and accountable for the behaviour of the children accompanying them. Teachers and supervisors of groups are at all times responsible and accountable for the behaviour of group members supervised by them.

Article 4.3
At the Museum, Visitors are prohibited from:

a) Offering goods of any nature whatsoever for sale or free of charge to third parties;
b) Blocking the free passage of Visitors or obstructing their view of exhibited items deliberately and for long periods of time;
c) Hindering other Visitors by, including, but not limited to, using mobile phones or other sources of noise nuisance; although the use of such equipment may be explicitly permitted by NEMO in certain areas;
d) Taking pets or other animals with them, unless they are explicitly permitted in certain rooms or if they are guide dogs and are authorised to accompany a visitor with an identification pass. This prohibition also applies to the roof terrace and the rooftop square;
e) Smoking; this applies to all areas in the museum, the roof terrace, the rooftop square, the stairs to the rooftop square and the entrance;
f) Removing footwear and/or outerwear in the Museum, on the roof terrace or the rooftop square; this prohibition does not apply to children aged under 13 who are on the roof terrace or the rooftop square;
g) Eating or drinking except in the café/restaurant and on the roof terrace and taking along any food or drink bottles into the exhibition rooms;
h) Carrying any items or substances considered hazardous by a NEMO official who is recognisable as such;
i) Touching any of the exhibited items that are explicitly screened off with barriers such as railings, barrier tapes and/or display cases, where parents or supervisors of children must strictly ensure that exhibited items placed behind barriers are not touched by the children supervised by them and teachers and supervisors of groups must ensure that the group members supervised by them do not damage the exhibited items which are placed behind barriers.

Article 4.4
In special cases where the general safety of persons or the collection so requires, a NEMO official, who must be recognizable as such, may request access to the luggage/hand luggage carried by the Visitor. If deemed necessary, specially trained staff may request the Visitor to cooperate in a security search when entering or leaving the Museum. Before entering the Museum, the potential Visitor will be warned that such a measure is in effect.

Article 4.5
A camera system is operational at the Museum. Visitors agree that recordings can be made of them. The camera images are retained for a maximum of ten days, in accordance with the GDPR. These camera images are made available to the police if NEMO believes that there is reason hereto or if requested to do so by a competent authority. The rules for camera surveillance and use of the camera images are in accordance with the GDPR and are laid down in the Camera Surveillance Protocol (Protocol Camerabewaking).

Article 4.6
NEMO strictly enforces copyright laws. Publishing or reproducing photos, videos and film recordings for commercial purposes based on the presentation and/or collection or parts thereof, in whatever manner and via whatever medium, including via electronic media, is prohibited without prior written permission from the NEMO management.

Article 4.7
NEMO regularly allows photo and video reports to be made at the Museum involving the Visitors, whether individually or in groups. This material may be used by NEMO for publicity and marketing purposes, for example, on the website and in brochures. By entering the Museum, the Visitor declares that they agree to the use of this material for these purposes. If the Visitor objects to such use of visual material on which they can be recognised, they may object to this. In that case, NEMO will not or no longer use the material and will remove the stored material from its files or arrange that this is done. For visual material produced by third parties on the instructions of NEMO, permission for such use is requested from the Visitor in advance by the producer of the visual material.

5. Complaints
Article 5.1
NEMO will do everything possible to ensure that the visit to the Museum or the exhibitions and activities organised by NEMO takes place in accordance with the published offer. This also includes the obligation to inform the public as well as possible about the full, partial or early closure of the Museum and/or the exhibitions organised by NEMO. In addition, NEMO informs the potential public about any nuisance-causing maintenance works, renovations or the design or re-design of rooms. Any right to compensation for the Visitor based on the above is excluded.

Article 5.2
Complaints are inadmissible in the following cases, as also mentioned in Article 3.4. These cases shall never give rise to any obligation on the part of NEMO to pay damages to the Visitor:
a. Complaints relating to items from NEMO’s permanent collection that are not available for viewing;
b. Complaints relating to the Museum being partially closed, including, but not limited to, partial closure as a result of the set-up or dismantling of exhibitions;
c. Complaints and circumstances relating to nuisance or inconvenience caused by other Visitors, including, but not limited to, noise nuisance, inappropriate behaviour, theft and wilful damage;
d. Complaints relating to nuisance or inconvenience caused by maintenance works, including, but not limited to, a renovation or the design or re-design of the rooms;
e. Complaints and circumstances relating to nuisance or inconvenience caused by the improper functioning of facilities at the Museum.

Article 5.3
Complaints about any Museum visit and claims for damages, including requests for a refund of the admission price, may be submitted in writing to NEMO within six weeks after the visit or intended visit. Complaints and claims submitted after this period will not be processed.

Article 5.4
NEMO investigates the complaint and sends a response in writing within thirty days of receipt. If the investigation has not yet been completed, the complainant will be informed of this as well as the time by which it is expected to be complete.

Article 5.5
The Visitor may submit complaints, claims and suggestions for improvement in writing to info@e-nemo.nl as well as communicate these in person at the Ticket Office.

6. Liability of the Museum
Article 6.1
The visit to the Museum is entirely at the risk and expense of the Visitor.

Article 6.2
NEMO is only liable for property and/or consequential damage suffered by or injury inflicted on the Visitor that is directly and solely the result of deliberate intent or gross negligence on the part of NEMO and/or its officers, on the understanding that the only type of damage that qualifies for compensation is that against which NEMO is insured or should have been insured in accordance with the requirements of reasonableness and fairness and for the maximum amount applicable therein.

Article 6.3
NEMO is not liable for the following:
a. Damage as a result of actions by third parties, including persons engaged by NEMO and lessees of the building/rooms in the building, and the persons engaged by these third parties;
b. Damage as a result of failure to follow instructions issued by NEMO officers and non-compliance with generally applicable rules of decency;
c. Damage caused in any way by other Visitors;
d. Damage caused to Visitors’ vehicles.

Article 6.4
NEMO is never liable for damage suffered by the Visitor that has arisen as a result of force majeure with respect to NEMO. The term ‘force majeure’ is understood to mean any circumstance independent of the will of NEMO – even though this could have been foreseen as possible when the agreement was concluded – that temporarily or permanently prevents the fulfilment of the agreement, as well as, and insofar as not yet included, war, violence of war, civil war, terrorism, uprisings, riots, action by the police and/or fire brigade, work strike, transport difficulties, fire and other serious disruptions within NEMO’s organisation or in the building, weather conditions and, for whatever reason, non-functioning public transport.

7. Liability of Visitors
Article 7.1
Visitors to the Museum are liable with respect to NEMO for all direct and indirect damage caused by them, whether or not as a result of non-compliance with these Terms and Conditions for Visitors and agree to indemnify NEMO against claims from third parties in this regard.

Article 7.2
The original rightholder of the admission ticket is jointly responsible and jointly liable for damage caused by the holder of this admission ticket.

Article 7.3
Parents or supervisors of children are at all times responsible and liable for the behaviour of and damage caused by the minor children accompanying them. Teachers and supervisors of groups are, without prejudice to each person’s individual responsibility and liability, jointly responsible and jointly liable for the behaviour of and damage caused by the group members supervised by them, without prejudice to the liability of these group members themselves. The aforementioned parents, supervisors, teachers, etc. agree to indemnify NEMO against any third-party claims in this regard.

Article 7.4
Organisations, companies, etc. who organise or arrange for meetings, manifestations and/or parties in the Museum are at all times responsible and liable for the behaviour of and damage caused by the guests invited by them, without prejudice to the individual responsibility and liability of the guests themselves. The aforementioned organizations, companies, etc. agree to indemnify NEMO against any third-party claims in this regard.

8. Personal data
Article 8.1
NEMO refers the Visitor to the privacy statement published on its website for information about the processing of personal data and, for example, the associated rights of the data subjects.

Article 8.2
Personal data of the Visitor is processed in accordance with the GDPR. In the context of the implementation of the agreement relating to the Museum visit, NEMO processes the visitor data required for this particular purpose. If parts of the implementation are carried out by a third party and this involves the processing of personal data, a processing agreement is concluded with this third party. The personal data in question is retained for as long as legally required, based on the retention obligation for tax purposes, among other things.

Article 8.3
NEMO processes the personal data of the complainants referred to in Article 5.3 of these Terms and Conditions or that of the persons referred to in Article 5.5 of these Terms and Conditions. These personal data will only be processed internally based on the relevant purpose, i.e. to answer and settle the complaint as satisfactorily as possible. The details regarding the complaint will only be retained for as long as necessary for the settlement of the complaint, claim or suggestion and any questions regarding this.

9. Lost property
Article 9.1
Any lost property found by the Visitor in the Museum can be handed in at the Ticket Office or to an employee. 

Article 9.2
NEMO ensures that lost and found items that are of some value (emotional or financial) are registered in a database. The items are stored by NEMO for three months. If these items have not been claimed within this time, NEMO hands them over to the City of Amsterdam or to a charity.

Article 9.3
NEMO will sent official documents such as driving licenses, passports and ID cards directly to the Lost and Found Office of the City of Amsterdam. Personal public transport chip cards (OV-chipkaarten) are sent to the OV-chipkaart Customer Service. Debit cards, hotel cards, Museumkaarten and, for example, VriendenLoterij VIP-cards are stored by NEMO for two weeks and are subsequently destroyed if the owner has not claimed these items by then. Low-value items such as water bottles, scarves, umbrellas, caps, etc. unclaimed by the owner within a week, are destroyed or donated to a charity.

Article 9.4
If the owner or person entitled to the lost property submits a claim for it, they may either collect the items personally or request them to be sent cash on delivery. In both cases, the owner or entitled person must provide proper identification.

10. Applicable law
Article 10.1
The present Terms and Conditions for Visitors and the agreement between the Visitor and NEMO are governed by Dutch law.

Article 10.2
All disputes arising from the agreement between the Visitor and NEMO will be submitted to the competent court in Amsterdam.

 11. Final provision
Article 11
If one or more of the aforementioned Articles are or turn out to be legally invalid, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. In such cases, a new provision that is as similar as possible to the lapsed provision shall replace the lapsed provision. 

NEMO Science Museum

Géke Roelink
Managing Director

Rutger Hamelynck
Business Director