European-funded science outreach project
ERNEST turns curiosity into action, creating hands-on scientific experiences for teenagers and adults. Through puzzles, storytelling, experiments, and live events, participants don’t just learn science — they live it.
What the project does
ERNEST brings physics and astronomy to life through immersive escape rooms. Participants tackle challenges inspired by scientific methods, space exploration, light, matter, and the universe itself.
Each experience is crafted to make research accessible, hands-on, and unforgettable — offering a playful yet meaningful way to engage with scientific thinking.
The project welcomes children, teenagers, adults, families, schools, and curious visitors who want to encounter science in a lively and collaborative format.
ERNEST escape rooms can be installed across different contexts, with a special role during the European Researchers' Night and other public science engagement events. Follow us for details on the different events.
Discover more
Click below to explore more, and continue expanding the content as the project develops.
About ERNEST
Read the full project narrative, its mission, working method, and the impact ERNEST aims to create through science communication.
Open the project pagePlay & Explore
Browse all participating escape rooms, compare their characteristics, and filter them by audience, theme, city, language, and format.
Explore the roomsMeet the Team
Discover the institutions behind the project and the members gallery.
See the networkWhy escape rooms
Puzzles become gateways to scientific thinking, turning problem-solving into discovery.
Labs and observatories are transformed into accessible, engaging experiences for everyone.
ERNEST helps universities connect with audiences beyond the classroom, bringing research into the public sphere.
Participating universities
Get a fuller overview of roles, institutions, and team members on the dedicated network page.
Events programme
Explore upcoming ERNEST events — programme details and registration links will appear as new activities are confirmed.
September 2026
Flagship public event featuring ERNEST escape room experiences for broad audiences.
Autumn 2026
School activities include teacher training, co-creation workshops, and researcher-led escape room experiences that engage students in scientific investigation, problem-solving, and collaborative learning
Winter 2026
A traveling escape room format tailored for secondary school audiences and teachers.
Photo gallery
A selection of moments captured across recent workshops and public events.
