If you’ve ever wondered how the universe was created and what it’s made up of, then you need to visit CERN on the Swiss/French border. CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) is one of the world’s foremost centres for scientific research. Scientists focus on the study of particle physics using the Large Hadron Collider – a 27-kilometre giant ring located in an underground tunnel beneath the facility. The LHC as its known for short, uses superconducting magnets to accelerate particles so tiny you can’t even view them through a microscope, let alone the naked eye. Travelling close to the speed of light, two opposing particle beams collide together, causing an event which enables physicists to learn more about the universe. The discovery of Higgs Boson on July 4th, 2012 was the biggest achievement of the LHC to date. If you wish to learn more, you can visit CERN, see the collider from above and take a guided tour of main research station – The Atlas Project. There are several exhibitions to browse and behind the scenes tours are available but remember to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Have you ever wanted to walk on the moon, see what it takes to travel to Mars, or discover what the inside of a Space Shuttle looks like? If your answer to all these questions is a definitive yes, you should take a trip to Space Centre Houston. NASA’s official visitor centre holds over 400 space artefacts. There are live shows and theatres dedicated to historic flights, you can see the Lunar touchstone - a rare moon rock or admire the Apollo 17 lunar command module which orbited the moon 75 times! Outside, on Independence Plaza stands a magnificent replica of a Space Shuttle. Visitors can step inside and experience life on-board as it was for the astronauts. One of the centre’s latest exhibits is Mission Mars which focuses on future interplanetary travel to our neighbour. It takes you through the Martian landscape with real-time weather and virtual reality simulations, plus you even get the chance to see a next-gen Mars Rover!

The Nobel Prize is a prestigious accolade awarded to individuals and organisations for their outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, economics, literature and peace. When you visit Stockholm’s Nobel Museum, you’ll learn more about the ideas and discoveries which have made a significant difference to our world over the past century. You can learn about the father of the prize, Alfred Nobel through a guided tour and watch films dedicated to humankind and Nobel Laureates. This museum is all about inspiration, encouraging creativity and persistence in achieving our goals, so if you have a ground-breaking idea yourself, a visit to the Nobel Museum will encourage you to put it into practice.

The vast Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany explores over 50 different fields of science and technology. This, the world’s largest exhibition dedicated to science and technology displays over 28,000 objects relating to the fields of environment, aerospace, agriculture, pharmacy, textiles, computers, mechanics, electrical power and more! Stretching across 6 packed floors, you will have to walk almost 12 miles and split your visit into a couple of days to view absolutely everything. The expansive museum boasts a planetarium, centre for transportation and a children’s interactive learning centre too, fortunately you can take a break in the café if your feet need a rest. Self-guided tours are available, plus you can download the museum’s interactive app to help you navigate the building.

London’s Science Museum in South Kensington is the perfect place to interact with all thing’s scientific. You can take part in live chemistry experiments, see extraordinary medical artefacts from throughout the centuries and even blast off on a space mission in a 4D simulator! The museum boasts a huge collection of over 300,000 items which include the first typewriter, the first jet engine and even a reconstruction of James Watson and Francis Crick’s model of the DNA structure. If you wish to partake in your own research, the museum library holds a wide selection of early books and manuscripts and on the last Wednesday evening of each month, you can attend events ranging from interesting lectures to silent discos. 

What happens when someone discovers a new planet in our solar system? You can find out at Lowell Observatory, Arizona. Guided walking tours of the facility take in the colossal 24-inch Clark Refracting Telescope built in 1896, you can learn all about the story of Pluto and see the telescope which discovered the diminutive planet. Stay after dusk to gain a viewing experience which is literally out of this world. The dark skies of Flagstaff are the perfect place to observe colourful nebulae, galaxies, planets and a host of celestial wonders through one of six advanced telescopes on the open deck.