Germany's largest science center, in Heilbronn, with around 275 hands-on stations, the Science Dome, an observatory, labs and changing special exhibitions.
October 18, 2026 – May 30, 2027
Skeletons and life-size models of giant animals from the post-dinosaur era, including Megalodon, Titanoboa and Gigantopithecus; an exhibition by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, recommended for ages 9 and up.
The idea came up in 2005 in Heilbronn's cultural affairs department: the empty Hagenbucher, an oilseed warehouse from the 1930s and the last remnant of the former industrial buildings on the Neckar island, was to become a science center. The city council approved the plan in 2006, and in 2007 the operating company was founded, with the city, the Dieter Schwarz Stiftung, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), the university of applied sciences and other partners as shareholders. The first experimenta opened in the converted warehouse in November 2009; by the time the museum closed in its original form in July 2017, it had welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors.
The expanded experimenta opened on March 31, 2019. The new building by the Berlin firm Sauerbruch Hutton, a glass-and-steel structure with pentagonal floor plans, is accessed via a spatial spiral that leads from the forecourt up to the observatory on the roof, offering views of the Neckar, the old town and the vineyards. Underground lies the Science Dome, a combination of movie theater, planetarium and show stage. With around 25,000 m² of space, experimenta has since been considered Germany's largest science center and is a flagship project of the Dieter Schwarz Stiftung.
In 2024, a pavilion on artificial intelligence was added as a third building, and Experimenta-Platz was landscaped with greenery. The offerings also include labs for daycare centers and schools, a youth research center, a maker space and the exhibition ship MS experimenta. Since 2025, Dr. Franziska Lang and Nico Wiest have directed the institution, which reported a new attendance record of 465,868 visitors in 2025.
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Children and young people aged 3 to 18 and, with proof, school students, university students, apprentices, volunteer service participants, holders of the Landesfamilienpass (state family pass), people with severe disabilities, social welfare recipients and holders of the Ehrenamtskarte (volunteer card) |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 2 · Children up to and including age 2 free; reduced price from 3 to 18. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €6companion free · Companion free for visitors with a disability rating of 50 or more. |
| Students & apprentices | €6 |
| Groups (12+ people) | €11 per personReduced-rate groups €5 per person; book with the InfoService at least four weeks in advance, bus drivers free. |
| Families | €29Mini group (family): up to 5 people, including no more than 2 adults. |
| Science Dome | €6Reduced €4, mini group €15, group €5; specials have their own prices |
| Annual pass | €49Reduced €25, mini group (family) €123; includes Science Dome shows |
| Lab course (individual price) | €3Daycare/preschool €3, elementary level €5, lower secondary level €6, upper secondary level €8 |
The experimenta ticket includes the exhibition and studios and, subject to availability, the special exhibition, experimental theater and observatory. On Fridays, tickets for the exhibition and Science Dome are half price. 10% discount (except annual pass) when arriving with a same-day bwtarif ticket, D-Ticket JugendBW or Deutschlandticket, only when purchased at the ticket desk. Visitors celebrating their birthday get in free. The SUPER exhibition in the Forum is free.
The exhibitions, Science Dome (two wheelchair spaces), observatory and restaurant are step-free; loaner wheelchairs and reachers at the ticket desk, large group elevator for power wheelchairs. “Toilet for All” with changing bench and hoist. Tactile floor guidance system, tactile maps and a tactile model in the foyer. In the Science Dome, hearing assistance via app, induction loops and loaner devices. Explanatory texts also in Easy Language (Leichte Sprache), information in sign language on the website, a calming bag to borrow and regular “Quiet Hours.”
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €29 · Mini group (family): up to 5 people, including no more than 2 adults. |
Hands-on exhibition for all ages; ForscherLand is an adventure playground for ages four to ten, with a dedicated explorer tour for younger children and families. Children's films and live shows in the Science Dome, free family exhibition in the Forum. Hosted birthday parties last about two hours.
Neckarturm (Kurt-Schumacher-Platz)
About a 7-minute walk from Heilbronn Hauptbahnhof (main station). Light rail as well as regional and city buses to the stop “Neckarturm am Kurt-Schumacher-Platz,” then just a few steps. Long-distance buses stop at the bus station by the main station.
Paid parking · 150 m to the entrance
experimenta parking garage, Bahnhofstraße 6: day rate for visitors €5 after validation at the ticket desk, EV charging stations and 11 accessible parking spaces. Bus parking next to the parking garage free for registered groups. 20 free RV spaces at Wertwiesenpark, from there a walk along the Neckar.
A6 exit 37 Heilbronn/Neckarsulm or A81 exit 11 Heilbronn/Untergruppenbach; GPS address Bahnhofstraße 6 (parking garage).
Get directionsRestaurant on the first floor (Mon–Fri 11:00–17:30, Sat/Sun/public holidays 11:00–18:30); shop run by the Osiander bookstore. Bags, backpacks, jackets and umbrellas must be stored in the lockers.
Rooms for events held by corporate clients and organizations; inquiries via the events team.
Inquiries & details| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Private photography and filming permitted; tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed. |
| Good to know | Themed tours lead visitors independently to selected hands-on stations. Groups of 12 or more can book experience modules (e.g., highlights in 90 minutes) through the InfoService. Science Dome shows run according to the program; almost all films are also available in English via loaner devices. A digital backpack lets you save your own results. Labs for daycare centers and school classes. |
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