STEM trips to CERN & Geneva

After delving into Geneva’s scientific past yesterday, your second day will see you launched into the future with a trip to CERN! Your tour will consist of a video introduction, followed by an eye-opening visit to the control rooms, research laboratories and engineering facilities onsite. You’ll also have time to visit CERN’s permanent exhibitions, which provide a fascinating look into the world of physics.

Once your group is feeling sufficiently stimulated, head back into the city and to Lake Geneva. Let everything you’ve learned today sink in while enjoying a cruise on the water, soaking up the spectacular lakeside surroundings in the late afternoon. If it’s a clear day, you can even see Mont Blanc!

There’s plenty more to see today! Take the quick 20-minute rail journey to Russin and let your students be awed by the mighty Verbois Dam. The guided tour provides an insight into this hydroelectric structure, which supplies the residents of Geneva with all the electricity they need.

Surrounding the site is the SIG Solar III energy pavilion, which was the largest solar power plant in Switzerland when it was commissioned in 2005! Built with a staggering 6,000 photovoltaic panels and integrated into its surrounding environment, the power plant offers a look into the potential of renewable energy.

Continuing with the theme of nature, your next stop is the Natural History Museum back in Geneva. As well as discovering more about the regional fauna, mineralogy, mammals, and the history of humankind, the museum also focuses on future scientific challenges, new technologies, current issues and, of course, environmental protection. This day will leave your students with a better understanding of their planet and the importance of looking after it.

The past three days will have given your group a lot to think about, so it might be nice to unwind a bit before your journey back home. Take some time to chill in one of Geneva’s peaceful parks, do a spot of shopping along its beautiful streets, then bid farewell to the city and catch the tram to the airport. Definitely a study trip to remember!