Fermilab's Wilson Hall Reopens To Visitors 5 Days A Week

BATAVIA, IL — Fermilab's iconic Wilson Hall has reopened to the public, the institution announced Jan. 23.

As of Tuesday, anyone who enters the site with proper identification has access to the atrium and cafe on the main floor of Wilson Hall as well as the auditorium for public conferences, the credit union on the ground floor and the Fermilab Art Gallery on the second floor.

After COVID-19-related restrictions at other national labs were lifted in 2022, Fermilab, which serves as the United States' central institution for particle physics, maintained limitations. The lab had long been open to the public due to its lack of classified research, according to a Nature report.

"Throughout our history, Fermilab has had a tradition of being open and welcoming to staff, users, the scientific community and neighbors," Director Lia Merminga wrote in Jan. 23 letter. "However, we know that for some members of our community, this tradition has not been upheld over the past few years. My team and I vowed to do better. After all, Fermilab must foster a culture of openness and collaboration in order to keep leading the country — and the world — in particle physics research, education and outreach."

Wilson Hall is now accessible from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fermilab will begin hosting monthly guided tours of the lab on the third Monday of each month, starting Feb. 19.

Fermilab is also a destination for viewing bison, hiking prairie trails, and touring science experiments and displays in the Lederman Science Center.