More than 3000 visitors entered the exciting world of particle physics during the Austrian version of the Researchers’ Night.

On 4 April 2014, the 60th anniversary of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, was celebrated in the “Aula der Wissenschaften” in Vienna city centre. This celebration was part of the Lange Nacht der Forschung, the Austrian version of the Researchers’ Night. More than 3000 visitors of all age groups took the opportunity to enter the exciting world of particle physics from 5 p.m. to midnight. High-ranking visitors included Reinhold Mitterlehner, the Federal Minister of Science, Research and Economy, Hannes Androsch, founder of the Hannes Androsch Foundation at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and Rolf-Dieter Heuer, CERN Director-General. They were welcomed by Anton Zeilinger, the President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and Jochen Schieck, the Director of the Academy’s Institute for High-Energy Physics. 
The event featured the particle physics exhibition CERN is turning 60: From the Universe’s smallest particles to the biggest machine in the world - A voyage to the Big Bang and the art exhibit The Fascination of the Origin by Michael Hoch. A special postage stamp dedicated to 60 years of CERN was unveiled and officially presented to Heuer. The exhibition was complemented by lectures on the challenges faced in the field of particle physics and recent results. A fascinating presentation on CERN’s success story, given by Heuer, was definitely one of the highlights of the event. 
Furthermore, visitors had the opportunity to custom-make a commemorative physics button to take home and a chance to win valuable prizes such as a copy of the book LHC: Large Hadron Collider (Edition Lammerhuber) signed by Heuer.