Four decades after its success on Lake Zurich, Phänomena is returning in 2026. The new edition is no longer planned as a stationary exhibition in Dietikon, but as a mobile world of experience that will reach several regions of Switzerland. It aims to bring scientific topics closer to the population in different language regions. The exhibition will start in Dietikon on 14 March.
In 1984, Phänomena on the Zürichhorn shaped the collective memory with physical experiments and attracted over a million people. In 2026, under the direction of Urs Müller, the son of the former initiator, Phänomena takes the step towards a touring format. The reasons for this are the complexity of a permanent large-scale project and the desire for a broader geographical impact.
The "Phänomena On Tour" focuses on several thematic worlds of knowledge on key future issues. These include topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, energy and climate as well as space research. The exhibition aims to make complex interrelationships understandable and connect everyday life with research.
The exhibition is based on the principle of playful learning. Visitors experience physical, technical and digital phenomena directly at interactive stations. One focus is on promoting STEM subjects in order to attract young people to scientific and technical careers.
The offer is supplemented by digital formats. The "Phänomena Spot" app is designed to make learning content accessible beyond the exhibition locations. It is designed as an interactive knowledge platform and transforms everyday places into spaces for discovering science.
The tour format places high demands on logistics and buildings. Flexible, modular structures are planned that conserve resources and facilitate repeated assembly and dismantling. Climate and environmental aspects such as the careful use of energy and water are to be made visible and form part of the exhibition.
Specific materials and structural innovations are only partially described in public. Such details are to be understood as project goals and may change in the course of planning.
The "Phänomena On Tour" is designed as a multi-year journey through Switzerland. The start is planned for March 14, 2026 in Dietikon, where the world of experience will make a guest appearance for several weeks. Further stops are then planned in various cantons and language regions.
The other locations and dates will be announced gradually. They may change in the course of planning and should be checked against the officially confirmed information before publication.