History TV

Television can be a great way to help history come alive for kids. There are awesome scripted series that really put you right smack dab in a bygone time and place. There are reality shows that uncover ancient artifacts, and biopics about people who have shaped the world. Check out our top picks for TV shows that make history interesting and entertaining. And for more history-minded picks, don't miss Best History Movies and Time Travel Movies, and for those in the mood for a page-turner that chronicles a lost moment in time, our Historical Fiction book list is a sure bet.

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Babylon Berlin Poster Image
TV

Babylon Berlin

age 17+

Dazzling police/spy drama set in pre-WWII Germany.

Network: Netflix (2017)
Erased: WWII's Heroes of Color TV show poster: Close-up of a Black soldier looking straight ahead.
TV

Erased: WWII's Heroes of Color

age 13+

Docuseries centers Black soldiers, harsh realities of war.

Network: NatGeo (2024)
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TV

The Amazing Professor Ambrosius' Mansion

age 6+

Engaging animated series blends humor with learning.

Network: Online (2015)
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TV

Dear America

age 7+

Books-inspired series brings history to life for kids.

Network: HBO (1999)
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TV

The Who Was? Show

age 7+

Fun books-inspired show intros kids to historical figures.

Network: Netflix (2018)
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TV

Liberty's Kids

age 8+

Worthwhile 'toon walks tweens through American history.

Network: Syndicated (2002)
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TV

Mind-Blowing Breakthroughs

age 8+

Lively, historical science stories are fun and educational.

Network: Starz , Online (2014)
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TV

The States

age 8+

Fun American history snippets for tweens and up.

Network: History (2007)
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TV

Unsolved History

age 8+

Cracking the past's big mysteries with technology.

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TV

Wow, I Never Knew That!

age 8+

Family-friendly show tells origin stories of everyday items.

Network: Kids Central (2017)
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TV

Horrible Histories

age 9+

Books-inspired British sketch comedy yields laughs, facts.

Network: Online (2009)
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TV

American Dreams

age 10+

Evocative retrospective drama follows changes of the '60s.

Network: NBC (2003)
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TV

American Pickers

age 10+

Hunt for antique treasures is a gem for history buffs.

Network: History (2010)
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TV

Behind the Movement

age 10+

Insightful biopic tells story behind momentous bus boycott.

Network: TV One (2018)
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TV

The Story of Europe with Historian Dr. Christopher Clark

age 10+

European history docu is rich in detail, imagery.

Network: Max (2017)
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TV

Cosmos: Possible Worlds

age 10+

Visually stunning existential explorations dig deep.

Network: National Geographic Channel , Fox (2020)
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TV

History Detectives

age 10+

Lively series reveals history's everyday secrets.

Network: PBS (2003)
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TV

How We Got to Now

age 10+

History's greatest ideas are smart fun for curious families.

Network: PBS (2014)
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TV

The Long, Long Holiday

age 10+

Wonderful animated series about life in occupied France.

Network: Netflix (2015)
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TV

Victorian Slum House

age 10+

Past becomes present when modern folk move to an 1800s slum.

Network: PBS (2017)