Ultimate List of 275 Fun Trivia Questions for the Whole Family

From kid-friendly & easy to super-hard stumpers for grownups, our huge list of trivia questions & answers is perfect for family trivia night.

Updated April 22, 2024
 happy friends playing charades game at home in evening

I've been playing trivia games with my family since I was a kid. I'm pretty good at it, but nobody could ever beat my dad (or later, my husband). I wrote these trivia questions with my dad and husband in mind, but I also made sure there were enough easier ones so kids could feel successful, too. So bust out your thinking caps and get together for a fun-filled family trivia night with our trivia questions and answers — and be glad my dad and husband aren't there so everyone has a chance. 

Movies Trivia Questions & Answers

Who's the ultimate film buff in your family? Our movie trivia questions range from easy to stumpers to see who knows the most about film.

What Indian film genre features elaborate dance numbers?

Bollywood

In the movie Peter Pan, what did the crocodile swallow?

An alarm clock

Which famous musician wrote the songs for The Lion King?

Elton John

What species is Chewbacca in Star Wars?

Wookie

What is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time?

Marvel Cinematic Universe

What was the first talkie film?

The Jazz Singer

What grunge music legend did Bradley Cooper consult before filming A Star Is Born?

Eddie Vedder

In which Marvel movie did Captain America lift Thor's hammer?

Endgame

What was the first Marvel movie where all six Avengers came together?

The Avengers

What is the highest-grossing Christmas film ever?

The Grinch

What is the lowest grossing movie of the Star Wars franchise?

The Empire Strikes Back 

Related: I Stumped My Family of "Star Wars Experts" With Our Star Wars Trivia. Can You Beat Them?

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's slippers were what color?

In the book, they were silver, and in the movie, they were red.

What were the first words ever spoken by Mickey Mouse?

Hot dogs!

In the movie Alice in Wonderland, what color does the Queen want her roses colored?

Red

Which classic movie from 1976 was filmed in only 28 days?

Rocky

What was the very first Disney movie?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

Hedwig

What 2023 summer blockbuster featured the tagline, “She’s everything. He’s just Ken.”

Barbie

What color pill did Neo take in The Matrix?

Red

When Forrest Gump stops running and says, “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll go home now,” where is he?

Monument Valley in Arizona

What breed of dog is Verdell in As Good as It Gets?

Brussels Griffon

The ride Tower of Terror at Disney’s California Adventure Park used to be Twilight Zone-themed, but it was closed and replaced by a similar ride based on what movie series?

Guardians of the Galaxy

What kind of shoes did everyone in the movie Idiocracy wear?

Crocs

In Casablanca, who says, “Play it again, Sam.”

Nobody. It’s a common misquote.

What was the first movie Tom Hanks appeared in?

He Knows You’re Alone

Related: 35+ Printable Trivia Pages to Test Your Knowledge

TV Trivia Questions & Answers

There's more TV to watch (and stream) than ever before! So if you're a TV lover, try your hand at our TV trivia questions. 

What type of animal is the beloved PBS kids’ character Arthur?

An aardvark

What was the first TV show Selena Gomez appeared in?

Barney and Friends

What was Jason Bateman’s first TV show?

Little House on the Prairie

What TV show is credited with first using Google as a verb?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

In the US TV show, The Office, who was the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton before Michael?

Ed Truck 

Related: 100+ The Office Trivia Questions: A Dunder Mifflin Deep Dive

What's the name of the fictional town where Gilmore Girls is set?

Stars Hollow

In the television series Grey’s Anatomy, what were the names of the doctors otherwise known as McDreamy & McSteamy?

Derek Shepherd and Mark Sloane 

Related: 60+ Ultimate Grey's Anatomy Trivia Questions & Answers for Superfans

What was the name of the very first TV reality show?

Candid Camera

What was the name of the faux reality series where one person thought he was competing to become a bounty hunter, and the rest of the cast were actors?

The Joe Schmo Show

In what city did Oprah start her television broadcasting career?

Baltimore

What cable television channel launched at 12:01 AM on August 1, 1981?

MTV

What was Star Trek’s prime directive?

Non-intervention with alien species

Who hosted the very first episode of SNL?

George Carlin

What show did Mary Tyler Moore star in before she starred in The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

The Dick Van Dyke Show

What brother and sister duo’s variety show featured a regular segment called A Little Bit Country, a Little Bit Rock n’ Roll?

Donny & Marie Osmond 

What production company produced the Star Trek original TV series?

Desilu

What reality TV competition features Alan Cumming as its campy host?

The Traitors

When Seinfeld ended, where did the gang find themselves?

In jail

What is the most-watched television program of all time?

The Apollo 11 moon landing

What news anchor was the “most trusted man in America?”

Walter Cronkite

What is the longest-running show on television?

General Hospital

On the TV show Frasier, what type of dog was Eddie?

Jack Russel terrier

What was the name of the first-ever winner of Survivor?

Richard Hatch

What was the name of the band that recorded the Friends theme song, "I'll Be There for You?"

The Rembrandts

What was the name of the winner of the very first season of The Bachelor?

Amanda Marsh

Related: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Trivia Questions to Put You to the Test

Music Trivia Questions & Answers

From classical to pop, we love music. Is anyone in your family a music trivia expert?

What famous pop star was born with the name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta?

Lady Gaga

What is rapper Diddy's real name?

Sean Combs

Name the pop star who once starred in the Disney show Hannah Montana.

Miley Cyrus

Related: 101 Disney Trivia Questions That'll Take Your Family to Infinity & Beyond

What was Miley Cyrus’s father’s breakout hit in 1990?

“Achy Breaky Heart”

Who do critics and fans agree that Don McLean was referring to when he mentions The Jester in “American Pie”?

Bob Dylan

Which pop star has fans who call themselves "Swifties?"

Taylor Swift

Who is often referred to as The King of Pop?

Michael Jackson

What is Madonna's last name?

Ciccone

What was the name of the band that Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament played in before they were Pearl Jam?

Mother Love Bone

What was the name of the original drummer in The Beatles?

Pete Best

What was the name of Justin Timberlake's first solo album?

Justified

What is the spoken poem at the end of Moody Blues’s “Nights in White Satin” called?

“Late Lament”

What is the largest type of saxophone?

Subcontrabass saxophone

How many keys does a piano have?

88

What instrument does the singer Lizzo play?

The flute

Who was the opening act at Woodstock in 1969?

Richie Havens

What are the four voices in a barbershop quartet?

Lead, tenor, baritone, and bass

In what period did JS Bach compose his music?

The Baroque Period

What is the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey also known as?

“Also sprach Zarathustra”

What differentiates the oboe, bassoon, and English horn from other reed instruments?

They have double reeds. The rest have single reeds.

What is the standard tuning for the A above middle C?

440 Hz

What Liszt piece is considered one of the most difficult compositions for piano ever?

“La Campanella”

What cantata is the piece “O Fortuna” from?

“Carmina Burana”

According to Wayne and Gareth, what is the top misheard lyric?

“Excuse me while I kiss this guy.” (‘‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky.”)

Who were Glenn Frey and Don Henley touring with when they decided to form the Eagles?

Linda Ronstadt

Literature Trivia Questions

Do you have readers in your family? If so, these literature trivia questions ranging from easy to hard should be right up their alley. 

What famous book did author A. A. Milne write?

Winnie-the-Pooh

What Dr. Seuss book features Thing 1 and Thing 2?

The Cat in the Hat

What beloved children’s character did Barbara Park create?

Junie B. Jones

What’s the name of the children’s book character that created worlds with a purple crayon?

Harold

What's the name of the author of the children's poem compilation Where the Sidewalk Ends?

Shel Silverstein

What mischievous Beverly Cleary character terrorized her classmates in Portland, Oregon?

Ramona Quimby

Who wrote the children’s book Jumanji?

Chris Van Allsburg

What fictional school’s motto is “Never tickle a sleeping dragon”?

Hogwarts

What is the answer to everything according to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

42

What book opened with the line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,"?

A Tale of Two Cities

Who was the “face that launched 1,000 ships”?

Helen of Troy (or Helen of Sparta)

What literary device is used in The Canterbury Tales?

A frame tale

What was Mr. Darcy’s first name?

Fitzwilliam

What type of car did Jay Gatsby drive?

A yellow Rolls Royce

What Colorado hotel inspired Stephen King to write The Shining?

The Stanley Hotel

Name the first book (chronologically)  in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

The Magician’s Nephew

What author created the detective story genre?

Edgar Allan Poe

In what language was Albert Camus's The Stranger originally written?

French (L’Etranger)

What was William Shakespeare’s wife’s name?

Anne Hathaway

Who declined the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for literature?

Jean-Paul Sartre

In a library, what are the stacks?

The main bookshelves

What is the name of the first spirit to visit Ebenezer Scrooge?

Jacob Marley

In Merchant of Venice, who wanted his pound of flesh?

Shylock

How many of Emily Dickinson’s poems were published while she was alive?

10

What's the title of the book featuring Holden Caufield?

The Catcher in the Rye

Seasonal & Weather Trivia

How much do you pay attention to as the seasons change? We have weather and seasonal trivia to test your knowledge. 

Rainbow In Sky

What colors are in a rainbow?

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet

How many points does a snowflake have?

6

Where was the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth?

Vostok, Antarctica (-128.6°F or -89.2°C)

What Catholic holiday is celebrated on November 1?

All Saints' Day

What's a dust storm called when it mixes dirt with wind?

A black blizzard

How many months in winter does near-total darkness, known as polar night, last in Utqiaġvik, Alaska?

2 months

Who was the month of January named after?

The Roman god Janus

Which Sunday in February accounts for the second-highest food consumption in the US for the entire year?

Super Bowl Sunday

Related: 47 Festive & Fun February Trivia Questions & Answers

What is March’s birth flower?
Daffodil (Check out more March trivia!)

What meteor shower happens over 10 days in April running from approximately April 16-26?

The Leonids (Discover more April trivia.)

What are the three zodiac signs of spring?

Aries, Taurus, Gemini (more spring trivia)

According to the poem, Marry in May and you’ll what?

Rue the day

Norma Jean Mortensen was born on June 1, 1926. What does the world know her as?

Marilyn Monroe (Discover more June trivia.)

Where was the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth?

Death Valley (134.1°F on July 10, 1913)

Who was the month of July named after?

Julius Caesar

A traditional Christian holiday in the UK celebrates the wheat and corn harvest on August 1. What’s it called?

Lammas Day

This “national” day occurs on September 29 every year. It’s probably huge in Seattle. What is it?

National Coffee Day

What was fall originally called?

Harvest

Related: 60 Fall Trivia Questions That Just Might Stump You

What are October’s birthstones?

Opal and tourmaline

What is November named for?

Novem, the Latin word for 9

What rock god turned reality TV star was born on December 3, 1948?

Ozzie Osbourne

What type of weather is hotter than the surface of the sun?

Lightning

Related: 70 Striking Weather Trivia Questions That Will Wow Any Crowd

What type of weather is graupel?

A soft form of hail

What are hurricanes that form over the South Pacific and Indian Ocean called?

Cyclones

What is the snowiest city on the planet?

Aomori City, Japan

Related: 90+ Teen Trivia Questions to Test Your Skills

Sports Trivia Questions & Answers

Calling all sports fans! Test your knowledge of different sports with our sports trivia questions.

What is the most popular sport in the world?

Football (soccer)

What fictional sport features a quaffle and a bludger?

Quidditch

What chess piece can move in a diagonal direction?

The Bishop

What is the “fastest 2 minutes in sports”?

The Kentucky Derby

How long is a marathon?

42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards)

What is the official sport of Alaska?

Dog sledding

What motorsports event is held in the US every year on Memorial Day?

The Indianapolis 500

What type of speed skating does Apollo Ohno do?

Short track speed skating

The longest winning streak in college football lasted 47 games between 1953 and 1957. What university holds the record?

University of Oklahoma

Related: College Football Trivia

Who did Johnny Carson dub Mr. Baseball?

Bob Uecker (Love baseball? We have more baseball trivia!)

What sport has a gully and a fly slip?

Cricket

What movie with the subtitle, A True Underdog Story, is about one of grade school’s most dreaded gym class sports?

Dodgeball

Who scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics?

Nadia Comaneci

Who holds the record as the fastest man in the world?

Usain Bolt

What Seattle Seahawks player caused a seismic event called the BEASTquake in 2011?

Marshawn Lynch

Which biennial golf event pits the US against Europe in tournament play?

The Ryder Cup

How many NBA championships did Michael Jordan win?

6

Where was curling (the sport) invented?

Scotland

Why is zero called “love” in tennis?

It’s named for the French word for the egg, l’oeuf, which sort of sounds like “love.”

What is the name of the book about the 1936 University of Washington crew team that won a gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics?

The Boys in the Boat

How many majors has Tiger Woods won?

15

What type of professional sport does the team the Seattle Kracken play?

Ice hockey

What is the name of the federal civil rights lawsuit that granted women equal opportunity in sports?

Title IX

Who holds the most Grand Slam titles in women’s tennis?

Margaret Court

What sport is Lindsey Vonn best known for?

Alpine skiing

Animal Trivia Questions & Answers

If you love critters of all kinds, our animal trivia questions will test just how much you really know abou the animal kingdom.

What is a woodchuck better known as?

A groundhog

What type of dog is the most popular as a pet in the US?

French bulldog

What type of cats have no tails?

Manx, Cyrmic, and Owyhee Bob

What type of bird is an African grey?

Parrot

What is a moth in its larval stage?

A caterpillar

How many bones does a shark have?

Zero

What type of animal is a budgie?

A bird

Which land animal has no vocal cords?

A giraffe

What is the largest living land animal?

An African elephant

What is the fastest land animal without wings?

The cheetah

 Which animal other than chimpanzees and gorillas have human-like fingerprints?

The koala

How many hearts does an octopus have?

Three

What color is a polar bear's skin?

Black

What animal has the most powerful bite?

The saltwater crocodile

What part of a dog's body does it sweat through?

Its paw pads

How long is an elephant pregnant for?

Up to 22 months

Which land animal never sleeps?

A bullfrog

What is the largest bat in the world?

Giant golden-crowned flying fox

What is the lifespan of an adult male mosquito?

10 days

What type of animal is a slug?

A shell-less gastropod mollusk

What is a group of whales called?

A pod

What are the three types of mammals?

Egg-laying monotremes, marsupials, and placentals

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are all types of sea mammals called what?

Cetaceans

What is the largest type of horse?

Shire horse

What do cats use their tails for?

Balance and sensory input

Related: 109 Animal Trivia Questions & Answers: Test Your Critter Quotient

History Trivia Questions & Answers

Did you pay attention in history class? We'll test your knowledge with our history trivia.

What are the famous pyramids in Egypt best known as?

The Great Pyramids of Giza

What’s the name of the first person in space?

Yuri Gagarin

Where is the Alamo located?

San Antonio, Texas

Where was the last battle of the American Civil War fought?

Palmito Ranch in Brownsville, Texas

How long did WWI last?

4 years

What was the first state?

Delaware

The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States by which country?

France

Which founding father appears on the $100 bill?

Benjamin Franklin

How many red stripes are on the American flag?

7

What was the name of the Pilgrims' ship?

The Mayflower

Name the Civil Rights icon who refused to give up her bus seat.

Rosa Parks

Who became the Prime Minister of England in 1979?

Margaret Thatcher

Related: 50+ 70s Trivia Questions Full of Groovy Gems

Who assassinated John Lennon in 1980?

Mark David Chapman (Check out more 80s trivia.)

As the end of the 90s neared, what potential apocalyptic event were people panicked about as a new century turned over?

Y2K (more 90s trivia)

Who built Machu Picchu?

The Incas

Who became the 38th governor of California in 2003?

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Try more 2000s trivia.)

What year was the Declaration of Independence signed?

1776

Did Pocahontas marry John Smith?

No. She wed John Rolfe.

How long was William Henry Harrison president before he died?

32 days

What natural disaster destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD?

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

Which country was the first to allow women to vote?

New Zealand

What states were at either end of the Santa Fe Trail?

New Mexico and Missouri

What was Cleopatra’s nationality?

Greek

Who killed Lee Harvey Oswald?

Jack Ruby

Related: 60s Trivia Questions & Answers You'll Dig

What was a “date that will live in infamy?”

December 7, 1941 (the bombing of Pearl Harbor)

Science Trivia Questions & Answers

Science is such a fascinating subject. And boy do we have some science trivia questions for you to answer. 

What does an ichthyologist study?

Fish

What scientist created the theory of relativity?

Albert Einstein

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only change form.

A²+B²=C² is better known as what?

The Pythagorean Theorem

What is the smallest planet in the solar system?

Mercury

What two elements make up water?

Hydrogen and oxygen

Who was the first man to walk on the moon?

Neil Armstrong

What is the smallest unit of matter?

An atom

What is the boiling point of water?

100°C or 212°F

How many elements are in the periodic table?

118

What is the hardest natural material in the world?

Diamond

What is the hottest planet in the solar system?

Venus

What is the longest and strongest bone in the body?

The thigh bone (the femur)

Which metal can you find in the earth's crust and also in the human body?

Iron

What is the tallest mountain on Earth?

Mount Everest

What element is present in all organic compounds?

Carbon

Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?

Marie Curie

What molecule does lightning produce?

Ozone

What blood type is the universal recipient?

AB+

What was Dolly the sheep’s claim to fame?

She was the first living creature cloned.

If you study fungi, what are you called?

A mycologist

How long is a year on Neptune?

About 165 years on Earth

In E=mc², what do the letters stand for?

Energy = mass times the speed of light squared

What did Einstein call quantum entanglement?

Spooky action at a distance

What does a nephrologist treat?

Kidneys

Related: Science Trivia Questions for Kids

Food & Drink Trivia Questions & Answers

Ah, food. It's such a cultural touchstone. We have some great food trivia questions and answers to test your knowledge of food and drink.

What is the most popular seasoning in the world?

Salt

What is cinnamon made from?

The bark of a cinnamon tree

Name the only fruit that has its seeds on the outside of it.

A strawberry

What was the name of the Taco Bell chihuahua?

Gidget

What fast food franchise hit it big with commercials that asked, “Where’s the beef?”

Wendy’s

What grape is used to make red wine from Burgundy?

Pinot noir

What is the mushroom layer of beef Wellington called?

Duxelles

In what city was the first McDonalds?

San Bernadino

What’s in a negroni?

Equal parts of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari

Every hard liquor starts with one of these two base beverages. What are they?

Wine and beer

What do people with celiac disease need to avoid?

Gluten

What temperature range is medium-rare beef?

130-135°F

What meat substitute is made from wheat gluten?

Seitan

What is canola oil made from?

Rapeseed

What is Takeru Kobayashi famous for?

He’s a competitive eater

What type of food are peanuts?

Legumes

What spice comes from crocus?

Saffron

What is the most eaten food in the world?

Rice

What makes up the base of remoulade?

Mayonnaise

What are the five mother sauces of French cuisine?

chamel, Hollandaise, Velouté, tomato sauce, and Espagnole sauce

What’s in the British food bangers and mash?

Sausages and mashed potatoes

What type of soup is vichyssoise?

Chilled potato leek soup

What type of food is the peppercorn?

It’s a dried fruit that has been cooked.

What city has the most coffee shops per square mile at 8.3?

San Francisco

What type of plants are chives, garlic, and onions?

Alliums

General Trivia Questions for the Whole Gang

And then there's everything else. Test your general knowledge with these miscellaneous trivia questions.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in autumn overlooking Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

How many teeth does a grown human being have?

32

What are the three primary colors?

Red, blue, and yellow

What is the name of the biggest island in the world?

Greenland

What city is referred to as "The City of Brotherly Love?"

Philadelphia

In the internet browser address bar, what does "www" stand for?

World Wide Web

What interstate runs from north to south along the West Coast all the way from Canada to Mexico, running through cities like Seattle, Portland, and Sacramento?

Interstate 5

How many national parks does Washington State have?

3

What is the name of the monument in Wyoming where a seminal scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed?

Devil’s Tower

Who said, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”?

Walt Disney

What is the name of the day following Christmas in the United Kingdom?

Boxing Day

Name the smallest country in the world.

Vatican City

What is the name of the Jewish New Year?

Rosh Hashanah

Who was the first American president to appear on television?

Franklin Roosevelt

What US state has the most land mass?

Alaska

What is the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time?

The Lion King

How many national parks are there in Utah?

5

If I’m spelunking, what am I doing?

Exploring caves

Who is the most prolific serial killer in the US?

Samuel Little

What is the oldest recorded board game in history?

Backgammon

How many cards does a pinochle deck have?

48

A dead man’s hand consists of all black cards, with two pairs of aces and eights. Who is it named after?

Wild Bill Hickock

What is the riddle of the Sphinx?

“What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet in midday, and three feet in the evening?”

Where is the lowest elevation dry land on earth?

The shoreline of the Dead Sea

Who is the real-life inspiration for Dracula?

Vlad the Impaler

What does e pluribus unum mean?

Out of many, one

Trivia Questions & Answers for the Whole Family

People of all ages can participate in these trivia questions that range from easy enough for the kiddos to super difficult to stump the adults. So gather your nearest and dearest and test your knowledge. 

Ultimate List of 275 Fun Trivia Questions for the Whole Family