Superconductivity (17-19 years)

Work with liquid nitrogen to explore the properties of superconductors and learn how superconducting cables are used at CERN.

Superconductors are essential at CERN. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) uses superconducting cables in its powerful electromagnets to generate magnetic fields strong enough to bend the particles.

Cloud Chamber (16-19 years)

Build your own particle detector to make ionising particles visible and study the properties of different particle tracks.

Although we can't see them, ionising particles are part of our everyday life. For example, cosmic particles interacting with the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere produce showers of new particles, some of which reach ground level. Naturally occurring radioactive elements in the air emit alpha particles. Through interaction with certain detector materials, we can make tracks of ionising particles visible. 

Power of air (8+ years)

Investigate balloon hovercraft and learn how engineers at CERN design and use air pad systems to move detector slices that are heavier than 500 elephants!

Technology at CERN is multidisciplinary, spans a huge range and is constantly pushing the boundaries of what we consider possible.  For example, engineers at CERN can move detector parts weighing over 1000 tonnes by using the power of air. These hover-craft-like airpads reduce friction and move detector parts efficiently.  

Shop

The shop in CERN Science Gateway is open from 8.30 to 17:30 on opening days.
There is currently no online shop.

Please note that the shop closes one hour after exhibitions and other activities, so be sure to set aside enough time for shopping. 

Visa, Mastercard, Postfinance, Maestro and Diners Club cards are all accepted. You can also pay in cash using Swiss francs or Euro notes. However, change is given in Swiss francs only.

CERN Shop conditions

Exhibitions

Join us to explore the Universe at CERN. With hands-on experiments, real scientific objects, immersive environments and interactivity, the exhibitions at Science Gateway will bring CERN to life.

Join our teams

If you are passionate about engaging people of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world, in science and research, then join one of our teams and make a difference.

From developing innovative exhibitions and hands-on lab workshops, to uncovering and sharing the exciting stories of CERN's research and technology on social media and other channels, to ensuring the smooth running of CERN Science Gateway, we cover a wide span of science communication activities.

We do not have any current position.

IdeaSquare

Ideasquare is the innovation space at cern, where collaborative methods, access to cern expertise, and cross-connectivity are used to generate potential solutions for the future of humanity. A place where people are given the license to dream.

Our activities revolve around six interlinked areas: hosting R&D&I projects, supporting selected innovation-focused EU-funded projects, prototyping, running design thinking workshops and associated educational programmes, organising events, and sharing knowledge in experimental innovation.