Halloween 2025: CNRS launches its frightfully scientific evening at Button Castle

For Halloween, the CNRS is transforming the Château de Button in Gif-sur-Yvette into a theater of shadows and mysteries for a "frighteningly scientific evening", on Friday October 31, 2025, from 7pm to 11pm. With an escape game, photo exhibition and round-table discussions, fear becomes an object of study and curiosity a tool for discovery.

Dare to step through the castle's gates and let science shed light on your fears... To celebrate Halloween, the CNRS is transforming the Château de Button in Gif-sur-Yvette into a theater of shadows and mysteries for a"frighteningly scientific evening", on Friday October 31, 2025, from 7pm to 11pm. With an escape game, photo exhibition and round-table discussions, fear becomes an object of study and curiosity a tool for discovery!

An evening of science and anxiety

To mark the occasion, the CNRS is exceptionally opening the doors of its Gif-sur-Yvette campus in the Essonne region of France. The event offers an immersion experience where thrills mingle with knowledge, transforming the château into a space for unexpected encounters between researchers, enigmas and strange phenomena. The venue's Gothic decor reinforces the atmosphere, creating a sense of tension conducive to reflection and exploration.

The originality of this evening lies in a singular approach: taking what frightens us and turning it into a field for scientific analysis. Ghosts, rituals and nocturnal creatures become the basis for questioning our representations, through playful experiments and contributions from specialists.

An educational escape game at the heart of bats

The"Secret of the Bats"escape game invites participants to delve into the unfinished research of Dr. Vanderbruck. The plot sets you on a scientific mission: to save research work by discovering the fascinating role of bats. In 30 minutes, each team must rise to the challenge of a game that combines puzzle-solving and scientific discovery.

This original approach makes a part of CNRS research tangible, by combining entertainment and learning. The experience will appeal to fans of immersive games, but also to those who want to explore biology in a different way. The time constraint adds a tension that accentuates the mysterious atmosphere of the evening.

A photo exhibition revealed by your light

With the"Frissons de science" exhibition, participants discover images taken by researchers. The originality of the exhibition lies in the way it is set up: the images appear progressively by the light of a cell phone, creating an intimate experience in which darkness becomes a partner. Each photo reveals a part of the intrigue, inviting the viewer to scrutinize the details to reveal unexpected shapes.

This sensory proposition offers a different approach to scientific research, stimulating the eye and playing with the emotions. Shadow, far from being a simple absence of light, becomes a subject for questioning and a vector of wonder.

Round tables to explore the invisible

The evening is rounded off by three themed round-table discussions led by researchers. Discussions cover topics such as funerary rituals, collective fears and unexplained phenomena. The aim is to bring together the social sciences, history and anthropology to put into perspective themes often associated with the strange.

These exchanges provide an ideal opportunity to engage in direct dialogue with the scientists, ask questions and confront one's own representations. They also provide an opportunity for collective reflection on what feeds our fears and shapes our imaginations.

An evening to thrill through science

This free event, accessible by registration only, is aimed at people aged 14 and over, who are keen to combine entertainment with scientific culture. It's perfect for an outing with friends, an experience for couples, or a family outing with teenagers. The nocturnal atmosphere and playful approach make it an opportunity to rediscover research from an original angle.

On the other hand, the evening is not suitable for younger children, nor for those looking for a traditionalHalloween party centered on costumes and sweets. Here, the approach is based above all on the encounter between science and imagination, with a reflective and educational dimension that may surprise those expecting a purely festive event.

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