I have some guests visiting who would like to visit CERN. I see they have some type of open tours:

http://outreach.web.cern.ch/outreach/visits/

...but then on another page of the website it says:

...so I'm a little confused, if it's possible to just walk in and join the tour on Weds/Sat or do you have to book it months in advance?


has anyone taken the tour there or know someone who has? I will also call them when they are open again on Tues and see what they say.

For what I had understood on the French page, you need to book. For groups or for individuals.

you still can write them if you have questions : visits.service@cern.ch

Visiting CERN is a really interesting idea, please post what you find out about it

Well it takes time to be fitted with the lead lined underwear

& for the relevant security checks in case you are a visitor from the future

Is there a charge? You could find yourself going round in circles
.

Just in anticipation of your expectations of the tour, when I visited CERN in April 08, I was told that once the LHC had been switched on, the underground area would be closed to visitors for 15 years, in accordance with French radiation regulations. Despite this, I think it's a great place to visit especially given how much news (and of course data!) it's generating.

Yes. a 27 km diameter Circle

Doc.

I was told the same thing when i went down there sometime in 2009. I guess you just have to wait some years

Just visited CERN today. Actually I was disappointed. During the tour, we just watched two videos about CERN and LHC and guide explain briefly about LHC. That's it. Website says tour takes 3 hours but actually it was just 1 1/2 hour trip. I have watched all BBC documentaries, youtube, TED about LHC by CERN, and I must say, watching those at home is much better experience to know about LHC.

We got a tour of two of the facilities when we went last year. The time to go was when they were building it apparently. My mate got a tour underground

I visited CERN in December 2010 and was thrilled.

Our tour guide was a really nice and patient British Phd student and he made the 2.5 hour tour.

We saw a film, the ATLAS control room, an exhibit and lots of other stuff. I would highly recommend this tour.

Our tour was free and we did have to book about a month and a half in advance. I don't know if there's a formula for how far in advance you need to book because I had a few emails back and forth before they gave me a date.

Seriously. This was a really nice tour, but I can imaging (like any tour) it depends a lot on your guide.

Hi guys,

I work at CERN, not at the Visit service but perhaps I can help you with this. I can tell you that is not possible to visit any underground facility right now, if you don't have special permissions or "connections".

To visit CERN the best option is the free tour, it is most days at 10:30am. Best thing is to send an e-mail to the address Bertrand gave (visits.service@cern.ch) and ask if they have a tour on the date you want, and in your prefered language. If you are part of a big group a special visit can be arranged, even in other languages.

There are also 2 permanent exhibitions but they are mostly thought for children. You can take a look af them too if you come for the other visit, they are for free.

This regular visit consists in a 1/2hour video followed by a visit to an overground (does this word exist?) facility. The most typical is ATLAS (one of the most important experiments) control room, but it can change depending on the calendar and availability. The guides are normal workers who take a 1-day course, so don't expect too much from us please


By the way, don't expect too much about the research centre itself... It is just a normal work place, full of old and ugly buildings. It is not a place of wonders, innovative modern stuff, as some people think. I warn you because some people are disappointed because of that.


Feel free to ask!