CERN is the reason many people come to Geneva at all, and since October 2023 it has had a visitor centre worthy of its reputation. The Science Gateway, designed by the studio of Renzo Piano, is a set of tube-like pavilions and a bridge across the road at the laboratory’s main entrance in Meyrin, next to the wooden Globe of Science and Innovation. Admission and all activities are free. Inside are three permanent interactive exhibitions, on the building blocks of matter, on the universe from the Big Bang to today, and on the quantum world, with plenty to touch, push and play with. Science shows run in an auditorium, and two laboratories host hands-on workshops, from building a cloud chamber to see cosmic particles to a LEGO robot challenge for younger visitors. The highlight for many is a guided tour of the research site with a physicist, engineer or student, which can take in historic machines such as the 1957 synchrocyclotron or the control centre of a working experiment. It is a remarkable, inspiring place, and it is genuinely aimed at curious non-scientists as well as specialists.
Planning the visit: the Science Gateway is open from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. Exhibitions and activities run from 09:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30, while the reception, the shop and the Big Bang Café open from 08:30 to 17:30. Over the holidays it closes on 24, 25 and 31 December 2026 and on 1 January 2027, and there are no guided tours from 23 December 2026 to 5 January 2027. Entry is free and you can simply walk in to the exhibitions, but guided tours are limited: individual visitors register on site, shortly before the tour starts, and weekday tours are less busy than weekends. Groups book in advance through the official site.
Getting there: tram 18 runs from Cornavin station to its terminus at CERN in about 25 minutes, and your free Geneva Transport Card from the hotel covers it. The address is Esplanade des Particules 1, Meyrin, right on the French border.
Making the most of it: arrive at opening on a weekday and head straight to reception to register for a guided tour, then fill the waiting time with the exhibitions. Allow at least three hours, more if you add a workshop or a show. The Big Bang Café is a good lunch stop. Remember that tours depend on what the laboratory is doing that day, so the route and the sites visited vary.
What to expect
The experience
A free walk-in visit to three interactive exhibitions, with optional science shows, lab workshops and a guided tour of the research site.
Best time
Opening time on a weekday, when it is easiest to get a place on a guided tour.
How long
Three to four hours, including a guided tour and lunch at the café.
Tips
Avoid Mondays, register for a tour as soon as you arrive, take tram 18 from Cornavin, and check the holiday closures in late December.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Curious minds of every age, and anyone who wants to see where the Web was invented and the Higgs boson was found.
- Families
- The labs and hands-on exhibits are superb for older children, and entry is free for everyone.
- Couples
- A surprisingly fun date for science lovers, followed by a drink back in town by the lake.
- Pair with
- The Palais des Nations and the Ariana Park on the same side of the city, or a lake cruise in the late afternoon.
- Time needed
- A morning or an afternoon, plus about half an hour on the tram each way.
Good questions
Is CERN Science Gateway free?+
Yes, admission and all activities at the Science Gateway are free. Only group visits need advance booking.
Is CERN open on Mondays?+
No, the Science Gateway is open from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. It also closes on a few days over Christmas and New Year.
How do I get a guided tour of CERN?+
Individual visitors register on site at reception, shortly before each tour starts. Places are limited, so arrive early, especially at weekends.
How do you get to CERN from Geneva?+
Take tram 18 from Cornavin station to the CERN terminus, a ride of about 25 minutes. The Geneva Transport Card given to hotel guests covers the trip.
Can you see the Large Hadron Collider?+
The collider itself is deep underground and normally not open to visitors. Guided tours visit other sites instead, such as historic accelerators or an experiment control centre.
