Newswise — The U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator will hold an open house for the public 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on Saturday, May 19.

The free event is open to the public and offers an opportunity for people of all ages to spend the day exploring this world-class research facility. The biennial open house features tours of the lab’s unique particle accelerator facilities, as well as hands-on activities and interactive displays and demonstrations. 

Visitors will get a rare opportunity to see the recently upgraded Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility accelerator and experimental halls, where scientists from around the world are carrying out groundbreaking research to understand the basic building blocks of matter. 

In other displays, Jefferson Lab's scientists and engineers will show how advanced particle accelerators are built and tested, how supercomputing technology is used to capture and analyze data, and how the lab's unique capabilities are transformed into usable products through our technology transfer program.

The Discover Jefferson Lab: Exploring the Nature of Matter event will be free of charge and held rain or shine. Families, individuals and groups are welcome. Parking will be free and lots will open at 8:30 a.m. No vehicles will be admitted to the parking lots after 2 p.m.

The event will be spread out over several buildings and outdoor areas and involves a lot of walking. In some areas, visitors will walk on compacted gravel or dirt surfaces instead of pavement. Free shuttle buses will be available to carry visitors between most of the tour stops. Nearly all areas will be accessible by wheelchair. Photos and video recording are welcome. 

More information about the event will be posted, as it becomes available, on the event website at: https://www.jlab.org/openhouse. Visitors may also call the open house information line for recorded information and to leave a callback number at 757-269-6398.

On May 19, come Discover Jefferson Lab: Exploring the Nature of Matter!

Jefferson Lab is located at 12000 Jefferson Ave., Newport News, Va., 23606. The lab's last open house was in April 2016.

Contact: Lauren Hansen, Jefferson Lab Communications Office, 757-269-7689, [email protected]

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Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, a joint venture of the Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. and PAE, manages and operates the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, or Jefferson Lab, for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Jefferson Lab is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.