What to expect from a visit to CERN

What to Expect from a Visit to CERN

At Adaptable Travel we are proud to share that we are the most trusted and experienced provider of CERN trips for schools worldwide, developing the perfect bespoke itineraries for each group, jam-packed with engaging activities! As well as including immersive visits to the fascinating CERN facilities we've combed through the best visits in the region, helping you and your students make the most of your time away. Groups have the opportunity to visit a range of exciting, immersive and engaging visits combining textbook learning and leisure and recreation.

What can groups expect from a trip to Geneva?

Obviously, most of our groups are drawn to the region by the opportunity to visit CERN, the home of many discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the world. These include the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle and the birth of the World Wide Web, two of the biggest breakthroughs in modern science and technology. Adaptable by name we aim to be Adaptable by nature, meaning your school trip to CERN is tailored to your group as much as possible. All standard visits on our itineraries last roughly half a day and can be tailored to cover curriculum topics including; Accelerating Particles, Discovering Anti-matter, Information Technology, Calculations and Communication, making your visit both rewarding and relevant to topics being covered in the classroom, maximising learning and engagement back at school.

CERN also boasts a selection of permanent exhibitions around its site, further exploring CERN's main missions, discoveries and tasks within an immersive and educational exhibition, enhancing the visit to this fascinating facility and leaving your students with much more. The Microcosm Exhibition is one of these, allowing your students to delve into the mysteries of the universe, unearthing cosmic rays, fundamental forces, time, antimatter and the vacuum of space.

On all of our trips to CERN we also send out free PROJECT CERN learning resources to aid you, the teachers in delivering the topics covered, providing a way for your students to engage with the visits, converting learning to knowledge with engaging workbook activities.

Long Shut Down 2

Now is the perfect time to book your school trip and travel to CERN, as the facility is experiencing its 2nd Long Shut Down period following a successful 3 year run of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Lasting until 2021, the experiments held at CERN have halted giving your students the opportunity to explore much more of the facility than in previous years. As the facility and its scientists prepare for future experiments and tests the LHC will undergo an upgrade to various elements helping the facility achieve even more in it's 3rd run. During this time your students will not only benefit from the permanent exhibitions and guided sessions but also get a sneak peak into areas usually restricted during live experiments.

Curriculum Visits

As well as CERN, Geneva and the surrounding region boasts plenty of high engagement, immersive and interactive visits, allowing you and your students to explore a number of topics within the science curriculum. We're listing some of our favourites within this blog but to find out more about what the region has to offer on our CERN visits page.

SIG Energy Pavilion

This interactive visit takes your student on an immersive journey through the story of electricity from discovery to production and widespread distribution on global scales. The most topical element of this visit is exploring the impact electricity has on our environment and the future of green power, allowing your students to discover more about renewable electricity and how this is being developed.

History of Science Museum

This fantastic museum is the only one of its kind across Switzerland's entirety, exploring the city's historic significance to the world of science. Focusing on a variety of topics from astronomy and meteorology to electricity and how the city has contributed to our global understanding and development within these fields. The exhibitions range from collections of 17th, 18th and 19th century scientific apparatus to interactive exhibits and activities, allowing your students to bring their learning to life.

World Meteorological Organisation

The UN's world meteorological Organisation holds its headquarters in Geneva, the perfect location for students visiting the area on a CERN trip. The organisation itself consists of 193 member states and acts as the UN's authoritative voice on our understanding and knowledge of the state of our Earth's atmosphere. It also provides crucial information about how this impacts our oceans and climate, something at the forefront of global conversations currently. Visits to the United Nations HQ are also available to groups visiting the city.

We've been organising school trips to CERN and the city of Geneva for years, giving us the experience and expertise to plan the perfect school trip itinerary for any group. So, whether you're exploring the vastness of our universe and the secrets it holds or the technological achievements made possible through science Geneva promises to have visits itching to bring it to life!