Inner city meets cutting-edge research: SCIENCE POP-UP by GSI/FAIR gets an extra time
18.09.2025 |
It is a great success for science communication and demonstrates how fascinating cutting-edge research can be: Around 7,000 visitors since its opening in spring, 40 school classes, twelve workshop days—this is the balance sheet of the SCIENCE POP-UP project, realized in Darmstadt’s city by the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung and the international accelerator center FAIR, currently under construction. Opened in March this year and originally planned to run through the summer months, the interactive hands-on exhibition will now continue until the end of December 2025. This means even more visitors, school classes, and workshop participants can take advantage of the unique opportunity to experience international cutting-edge research right in the center of Darmstadt.
Since its opening on March 24, 2025, the innovative project in a former retail store at Ernst-Ludwig-Straße 22 has become a magnet for science enthusiasts of all ages. The concept offers a wide range of topics, from creative knowledge transfer for all interested parties to targeted didactic support for future researchers. Both casual pedestrians and, for example, a school’s physics club can gain varied insights into research at particle accelerators in the interactive exhibition. There are special offers for school classes, virtual tours and much more. Additionally, workshops and lectures make the cutting-edge research of GSI and FAIR tangible for people in and around Darmstadt.
Developed in close cooperation with the store space and district management of Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH, the success story is now being extended. The goal is to continue bringing a piece of research and high-tech to life, temporarily and directly into the heart of the science city of Darmstadt, and to spark fascination for physics among young and old alike. The SCIENCE POP-UP is aimed at everyone interested in learning more about the smallest building blocks of the universe, the origin of the elements, or working with state-of-the-art accelerator technology.
The concept also includes a qualitative analysis of the offering. After the first five months, the feedback shows a clear pattern. More than three-quarters of visitors rated the exhibition as “very positive.” The different stations provide numerous “wow moments” and bring research to life immediately. Survey respondents particularly highlighted the interactivity, the friendliness of the staff, and the clear presentation of complex content. Among the most popular stations are, for example, the throwing game, where visitors can simulate the production of new elements with a bit of skill; the accelerator game, which makes the principle of particle acceleration tangible; the cloud chamber; and the VR station, which, using virtual reality headsets, takes visitors directly to the facilities of the existing research center and the FAIR mega science project.
The specialist quiz questions, which could be answered for comparison before and after visiting the exhibition, also show: Before the visit, the proportion of correctly answered questions ranged from 46 to 65 percent; after the exhibition, these figures rose to over 80 percent. In addition, the project was evaluated in a master’s thesis in cooperation with the physics education group a Technical University of Darmstadt.
Professor Thomas Nilsson, Scientific Managing Director of GSI/FAIR, says: “We are delighted with the enormous response. It shows how much interest there is in science and technology in Darmstadt. With the extension, we want to give even more people the opportunity to engage with our research. Our SCIENCE POP-UP has not only reached thousands of people but has also expanded their knowledge, sparked curiosity, and ignited enthusiasm for physics. With its mix of interactivity, playful approach, and emotional appeal, the GSI/FAIR hands-on space has exemplarily achieved its goal of bringing a piece of research and high-tech to the heart of the science city of Darmstadt and inspiring both young and old with the fascination of physics.” (BP)
Opening hours and further information
The SCIENCE POP-UP at Ernst-Ludwig-Straße 22 will be open until the end of December 2025. More information about offers, events, and opening hours can be found on the GSI/FAIR website.
Quotes from visitors to the SCIENCE POP-UP
- “An important contribution to science communication in Darmstadt.”
- “Finally, the empty space in the city center has been put to good use. Thank you!”
- “A perfect exhibition to bring science closer to the public.”
- “It was a lot of fun, and it’s cool that something like this exists.”
- “We are all made of stardust. A beautiful thought—to have originated from stars.”
- “Hands-on science, simply fantastic!”
- “The cloud chamber is very interesting; I could watch it for hours.”
- “Very understandable. Interactive and informative—more of this, please!”
