Swiss Science Center Technorama, the largest interactive science museum in Switzerland. Winterthur, the canton of Zürich, Switzerland.
The "it" factor
What makes it special:
Interactive play - learn about water, chaos, mechanics, math, currents, magnets, lights, wood, illusions and more through hands-on experiment stations
Stress free with small kids - everything can be touched and played with
Very large - over 500 experiment stations across 4 floors and an outdoor section
Workshops and open laboratories (in German only)
Experiment stations instructions in four languages (English, German, Italia, French)
What needs to be considered:
The museum is very large and if you engage with the experiments, it will be difficult to see everything in one day
Can get quite crowded, expecially on a rainy weekend day
Don't feel like reading? Watch a video about the Swiss Science Center Technorama instead!
The fun & education factor
Where Education Meets Adventure
The moment you step into Swiss Science Centre Technorama, you know it's not merely a museum visit; it's an immersive journey into the world of discovery. Education and fun seamlessly blend, creating an atmosphere where learning becomes an exciting expedition. During our visit, our 4 year-old transformed into a little explorer, dashing from one station to the next to discover the next "interactive game" that awaited her.
Stress-Free science play at Swiss Science Center Technorama - from what age?
Older kids, starting from around 6 years old, would likely benefit the most from the scientific concepts at Swiss Science Centre Technorama. However, younger children, as young as 3 to 4 years old, can also have a great time. While they may not fully grasp the concepts, they get their first exposure to science through playful interactions. The hands-on, touchable nature of the exhibits ensures parents need not worry about breaking anything, allowing the little ones to freely run around without stress.
Each station has a card explaining the experiment in four languages, including English. This feature was a lifesaver for clueless parents like me, making it easy to guide our kids through the stations. It turned our visit into an enjoyable learning experience for everyone.
Ready, Touch, Go! Explore the Magic of interactive stations
Through more than 500 of these experiment stations, you'll learn about physics, math, biology, chemistry, and more. Here's an overview of what awaits you:
1. Mechanicum: unleash your inner engineer
This area became one of the favourite ones of our 4 year-old. Embracing her little inner engineer, she rolled, pushed, swung, and pulled and set things in motion to witness the laws of physics in action. Older kids can dive deeper into the underlying concepts by looking at the theory on the card, but to experience it physically with your body is both fun and accessible!
2. The sound of wood: unfold the secrets of the rolling ball
This part of the Swiss Science Center Technorama is a big hit with the youngest explorers. They have a blast trying out the levers, pedals, and cranks of the different wooden ball runs, unraveling the mechanics to guide the wooden ball from start to finish. Incorporate the sounds of wood into the mix, and you're guaranteed to create a delightful and entertaining experience.
3. Lights, sight, et-cetera: A visual feast for curious minds
Here you can embark on a journey through the fascinating world of lights, plasma, colors, and shadows. One of the highlights for our toddler was a unique room where you can "freeze" your shadows and move about while these shadows stay static. And don't miss the showstopper: Europe's largest plasma ball at the Swiss Science Center Technorama!
For older kids, it's a chance to dive into the science behind how the brain constructs our perception of the world.
4. Water, nature, chaos: the science of "water's play"
What child doesn't adore playing with water, especially when they are not suppose to? Well, here they can! In this interactive space, they can explore how water sets things in motion, balances balls, produces sounds, measures time, creates bubbles, and much more. Older kids can engage in deeper discussions with parents about the science behind it, like the butterfly effect demonstrated by the Chaotic Fountain.
5. Mathemagic: it's a numbers game
In the Mathemagic section at the Swiss Science Center Technorama, our toddler enjoyed exploring the world of numbers - without even realizing it. With colorful displays and engaging puzzles, the museum turned math into an exciting adventure. Older kids can delve into the practical side of mathematical theory, while younger ones find joy in the vibrant displays and interactive stations that keep them engaged and entertained.
6. Mindscapes: perception play unleashed
This part of the Swiss Science Center Technorama turned out to be great fun for our entire family. It's like diving into a mind-bending puzzle, with illusions, perceptual twists, and sensory challenges at every turn. Our favorite moments included exploring a tunnel where the walls, not the bridge, spun around, creating a dizzying yet exhilarating feeling of a rotating bridge. The little house stole the show, playing tricks on our height perception—you could magically appear tall or short depending on where you stood.
7. Labs & tinkering: DIY wonderland
If you want an even more hands on experience at the Swiss Science Centre Technorama, the entire family can engage in a tinkering lab and build different constructs with everyday items like egg boxes, yogurt pots, milk cartons, batteries, and more. Additionally, for slightly older kids (8 years and above), there are daily physics, chemistry, and biology workshops at 1 pm (extra tickets required, in German only) and open labs, where, following a brief introduction, kids can conduct experiments and learn independently.
But wait there is more! Seasonal exibitions, science arena with demonstrations, an outdoor section, mini trains exhibition, currents, magnets and puzzles ...
There are even two science themed escape rooms. And, of course, there's a science shop where you can purchase various science toys to extend the scientific journey into your home.
The food factor
There is a quite large, self-service restaurant with the usual suspects - chicken nuggets, sausages, burgers, pizzas and fries. For all health contious scientists, there is also a nice salad bar.
The value factor
In 2023 the prices were as follows:
Adults: CHF 33.00
Children (6-16 years): CHF 21.00
Children up to 5 years: Free
If you come by train, you can also benefit from a combined railway & technorma ticket.
We spent approximately 6 hours there, including lunch, and still couldn't cover everything, leading us to rush through some sections. If you'd like to explore certain areas more leisurely, think about getting an annual pass. It becomes cost-effective after 2 visits for kids (40 CHF) and 4 visits for adults (110 CHF).