Green light for a permanent exhibition in the Globe

A donation to the Foundation for the Globe of Science and Innovation by ROLEX S.A. marks the first step towards the planned expansion of the Globe’s infrastructure.

The Globe: a CERN emblem.

Visible from miles away by day and by night, the Globe, the wooden sphere offered to CERN by the Swiss Confederation in 2004, has become one of the symbols of the Organization. Since being opened to the public in September 2005, the Globe has served as a venue for lectures, exhibitions, press and VIP events and workshops for schoolchildren and as a stage for theatre performances on scientific themes.

With a view to turning the Globe into a flagship venue for events for the general public, and for interactions between CERN and its public and private partners, two projects are planned for the near future. CERN is receiving support for these ventures from the Foundation for the Globe. Established at the end of 2007, the Foundation’s mission is to promote the Globe’s scientific, cultural and educational activities using the funds it is able to collect.

The priority project is to create a permanent exhibition on the ground floor presenting CERN, its missions and its discoveries. At the end of June, the prestigious Geneva watch-maker ROLEX S.A. agreed to fully sponsor the realisation of the exhibition.

This partnership will enable the Foundation to move to the next stage of the process, a call for tenders to select a firm specialising in exhibition design to create the exhibition. The specification, drawn up by CERN’s Communication Group, will be based on the criteria of aesthetic appeal and didactic and cultural impact but will also stipulate a degree of interactivity so that the general public can enjoy exploring the Laboratory through various hands-on exhibits.

Under the second project, CERN plans to construct a circular building around the Globe, with rooms for educational purposes, a cafeteria, a shop and toilets, etc.

Unfortunately, this will require a much more substantial budget but the plans have passed the drawing board stage and private and industrial sponsors are being sought. Ultimately, the Globe complex is set to develop into a unique venue in Geneva for the dialogue between science and society.