We make science accessible
The VISTA Science Experience Center is a vibrant hub where science and society meet. Located on the campus of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) in Klosterneuburg, it offers you a firsthand look at cutting‑edge research. Here, you can visit our interactive exhibition, run your own experiments in workshops, or engage in dialogue with researchers. Our digital resources also bring science to life at home or at school.
Our mission
Conveying how science creates knowledge
Anyone who wants to make good decisions must be able to gather, sort, and evaluate information. This is precisely what science does, generating reliable insights.
Since its founding in 2009, ISTA has been a place where science is not only pursued but also communicated. Building on this foundation, VISTA demonstrates how scientific insights are formed—through observing, questioning, and thinking together.
At ISTA, people from more than 80 countries work on fundamental, still‑unanswered questions. What unites them is their curiosity and joy in discovery. We want to share this enthusiasm with people of all ages—from early childhood to later life.
We believe that a society that understands and trusts research and its processes is better equipped to tackle challenges.
VISTA Science Experience Center
The VISTA Science Experience Center is not a traditional museum or visitor center. It is a place where research, art, and open dialogue come together. Science is not presented as a mere collection of facts but as a living process shaped by creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.
The center’s architecture embodies openness and transparency. Large, bright rooms open onto the surrounding research buildings, while the curved roof, made up of around 9,000 mirror tiles, reflects the vibrant atmosphere of the campus. The VISTA Coffee Lab invites visitors to relax or exchange ideas.
ISTA conducts internationally recognized fundamental research in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science. About 90 research groups work here in an international environment with state‑of‑the‑art facilities. Learn more at www.ista.ac.at.
Support VISTA
Science is the foundation of innovation and our future prosperity. To ensure that research remains firmly rooted in society, we need places where it can be experienced and understood. VISTA creates precisely that kind of space: here, science becomes visible and tangible.
Our programs promote a deep understanding of science grounded in evidence‑based teaching methods and innovative formats. They make an immediate impact on our visitors and, through collaboration with teachers, have a lasting effect on the education system.
This is made possible by a strong network of national and international partners in education and science communication, as well as by funding and donations from dedicated individuals and institutions who share our enthusiasm for research.
Together, we show how science sparks curiosity, builds trust, and showcases Austria as a nation of science.
