And in 2015, the latest version of Microcosm opened. In 2014, S’Cool LAB arrived, home to the expanding programme of experimentation for high-school students and teachers.
MICROCOSM WEB CERN SERIES
“‘ Drôle de physique !’ was born, as well as the series of ‘ Lundi découverte’ events, running for four years and very popular with locals,” recalls Sanders. The 2000s brought another revamp, bringing in hands-on experimentation for the first time and a demo area for science shows. The UA1 detector is installed in Microcosm in 1999. Two years later, a new exhibition was added to Microcosm’s portfolio, telling the story of research on the weak force at CERN, with large pieces of the AA (antiproton accumulator) and of the UA1 and UA2 detectors. In 1997, CERN Director-General Chris Llewellyn Smith inaugurated a newly revamped exhibition with content in four languages and stories of new projects such as the LHC. The first version of Microcosm included an exhibition by the European Space Agency, highlighting the strong ties between CERN and other European research organisations, which continue today through the EIROforum network. The inauguration of the "new" Microcosm is the subject of an article in the CERN Bulletin in September 1997.
The venue has also played a role in the life of the lab, such as by hosting the New Year ceremony for local dignitaries and presidential visits. “They are a place to explore at one’s own rhythm all the exciting science and technology.” Over the years, the exhibitions have evolved considerably. “The exhibitions in many ways bridge the gap between scientists working at CERN and members of the public,” says Emma Sanders, Head of Exhibitions at CERN. This was CERN’s first on-site permanent exhibition, offering a glimpse behind the scenes of the Laboratory to both tourists and schools alike. Microcosm first opened to the public in 1990, motivated by CERN’s duty – as a publicly funded organisation – to share its research openly, and also in recognition of the fact that there was a benefit for CERN in doing so. On 18 September, it will permanently close its doors in preparation for CERN's new flagship Science Gateway project, opening in 2023. Microcosm has been a CERN exhibition space and outreach centre for the last 32 years.
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