CERN, the particle physics laboratory where the Web was invented, welcomes the public in Meyrin at the Science Gateway, its education centre. Explore interactive permanent exhibitions and join a guided tour of the laboratory.
Research institute
Main highlights
- Permanent exhibitions to understand particle physics through hands-on activities
- Guided tours of the facilities led by CERN scientists and staff
- Science Gateway architecture, with two tubes evoking the accelerators
Overview
Located on the French-Swiss border, CERN has two official addresses, one in France and the other in Switzerland. This particle physics laboratory is where the Web was invented. It is home to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), where scientists recreate the conditions that existed a fraction of a second after the Big Bang.
The Science Gateway is the institution’s public showcase. The building spans the Route de Meyrin with two tubes reminiscent of CERN’s accelerators. Designed to be carbon neutral, it is surrounded by a forest of 400 trees.
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What to see and do
The Science Gateway tubes house two of the three permanent exhibitions, including “Discover CERN” and “Our Universe”. The “Back to the Big Bang” trail offers a journey through time that begins with real-time particle detection. You’ll find hands-on experiments, authentic scientific objects and immersive environments, and you can operate virtual particle accelerators.
The Globe of Science and Innovation, the site’s iconic spherical structure, hosts the permanent exhibition “Universe of Particles”. It traces the history of modern physics and presents CERN’s major discoveries.
Scientists, engineers, students and staff members show visitors around the laboratory’s most interesting spots. These guided tours last about an hour and a half and can only be booked on site, on the day of your visit.
Practical information
Getting there : from Geneva Airport, take bus 23, 28 or 57 to “Blandonnet”, then tram 18 to the “CERN” terminus.
Visit duration : allow at least 2 hours for the exhibitions and 3 to 4 hours with a guided tour.
Audience : recommended from age 6, better suited to children over 8.
On site : registration is required to access the Science Gateway.
Visiting tips
Arrive early if you want to join a guided tour, as registration takes place on site. Bring ID, a jacket for the cooler underground facilities and comfortable shoes, as the visit involves walking.
This place is part of the selection The top 10 indoor activities for children in French-speaking Switzerland.
Nearby attractions
- The Palais des Nations, built between 1929 and 1936, houses the European headquarters of the United Nations.
- The MICR International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum is dedicated to the work of Henry Dunant.
- The Bois de la Bâtie is a wooded area in Geneva with a wildlife park featuring local species and playgrounds.
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