What phaeno gGmbH does

phaeno gGmbH is a non-profit (gemeinnützige GmbH) science center founded in 2005 and based in Wolfsburg, Germany, housed in a Zaha Hadid-designed building notable as Europe's largest structure built from self-compacting concrete. The facility offers over 300 interactive, hands-on exhibits across themed permanent exhibitions covering quantum physics, electricity and magnetism, mathematics, perception and illusion, waves, and plastics, supplemented by a Science Theatre, a TechLab workshop space (including woodworking, soldering, programming, and robotics), and rotating seasonal programming such as the phaenoSommer summer program. The organization is owned and initiated by the City of Wolfsburg (Stadt Wolfsburg) and supported by Volkswagen Group, Sparkasse Celle-Gifhorn-Wolfsburg, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Education, and Quantum Valley Lower Saxony.

The company monetizes the visitor experience through day tickets, individual and family annual passes, add-on show and workshop fees, corporate and private venue rental, on-site bistro (Charlys Bistro) and retail shop revenue, and a Freundeskreis (Circle of Friends) membership program. It also runs Schulpass school-wide subscriptions, group tariffs for Kitas and corporates, and a dedicated corporate events sales function. The center operates approximately 326 days per year. Technology infrastructure is largely outsourced: go~mus ticketing (Giant Monkey GmbH), MoinAI chatbot (knowhere GmbH), CleverReach email marketing, Google Analytics, and standard social platform integrations (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X). Distribution is single-site domestic (Germany, focused on Lower Saxony), augmented by an online virtual tour platform (rundgang.phaeno.de).

The customer base is diversified across families with children, K-12 schools and Kitas, corporate groups, science enthusiasts (via the WissKomm science-communication format and SCIENCE TALK lecture series), and senior visitors (via dedicated programs such as Seniorennachmittag and Stille Stunden). Co-Managing Directors Michel Junge and Jana Handrick share executive leadership; Stiftung phaeno (the supporting foundation) is presided over by Dennis Weilmann. The company does not disclose revenue; ticket-based and ancillary income is supplemented by municipal, corporate, and government partner contributions.

Name

phaeno gGmbH

Legal name

phaeno gGmbH

Website

https://phaeno.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

phaeno gGmbH is a non-profit science center in Wolfsburg, Germany, founded in 2005 in a Zaha Hadid-designed building, operating 300+ interactive exhibits, workshops, and shows for families, schools, corporates, and seniors approximately 326 days per year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Center / Educational Entertainment

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Interactive science exhibits
• Hands-on science center
• STEM education programs
• Science museum exhibits
• Educational entertainment venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolfsburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Day tickets for entry to the science center with access to all permanent exhibitions
2. Annual Passes: Annual membership providing unlimited access throughout the year for individuals or families (4 persons)
3. Event and Show Fees: Additional fees for special shows (€2 with day ticket, €4 without), workshops like woodworking (€4 per boat plus day ticket)
4. Event Venue Rental: Corporate events, conferences, and private celebrations in the architecturally significant building designed by Zaha Hadid
5. Bistro and Shop: On-site food service at Charlys Bistro and retail merchandise at the shop
6. Membership Program: Freundeskreis (Friends Circle) membership with benefits including free entry and exclusive offers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

phaeno gGmbH operates a science center in Wolfsburg, Germany, housed in a Zaha Hadid-designed architectural landmark, featuring over 300 interactive hands-on exhibits across themed permanent exhibitions covering quantum physics, electricity, mathematics, perception and waves. The center offers live science theatre shows, hands-on workshops (woodworking, robotics, soldering), science communication lectures, school programs, and corporate event venue rentals.

Product overview

phaeno gGmbH operates a science center in Wolfsburg, Germany featuring over 300 interactive exhibits across themed permanent exhibitions including Wellenwunder (Wave Wonders), Quanten (Quantum), Unter Strom (Electrified), Sichtweisen (Point of View), Mathemagie (Math Magic), Forum Kunststoff, and Bildertanz. The facility, designed by Zaha Hadid, offers hands-on science education through live Science Theatre shows, TechLab workshops including woodworking and sailing boat construction, WissKomm lecture series with science talks and AI topics, and seasonal programs like phaenoSommer. Additional offerings include virtual tours, a members-only Freundeskreis program, event location rental, on-site bistro, shop, and school/group packages. The center operates approximately 326 days annually with pay-what-you-want pricing and serves visitors of all ages, with special programs for schools, Kitas, families, seniors, and corporate groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Science Center General Admission Day tickets granting access to over 300 permanent interactive exhibits and themed exhibitions including Wellenwunder (Wave Wonders), Quanten (Quantum), Unter Strom (Electrified), Sichtweisen (Point of View), Mathemagie (Math Magic), Forum Kunststoff, and Bildertanz, for individual and family visitors of all ages.
• Annual Pass Annual membership providing unlimited access throughout the year for individuals or families of up to four persons.
• Event Location / Venue Rental Venue rental for corporate events, conferences, team-building, and private celebrations held within the architecturally significant Zaha Hadid building.
• phaeno Freundeskreis (Circle of Friends) Annual membership program offering free entry, exclusive offers, priority access, and engagement opportunities for supporters of the science center.
• Schulpass (School Pass) Discounted annual access program for entire schools, allowing classes to visit throughout the academic year for hands-on STEM learning.
• School and Group Discovery Tours Guided curriculum-aligned discovery tours and workshop programs for school groups, Kitas (daycares), and educational institutions tailored to STEM learning objectives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 interactive phenomena for hands-on discovery
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Kultusministerium Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony Ministry of Education)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment education ministry partner supporting educational programs and curriculum-aligned activities for schools.
• GEO MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing editorial coverage and promotional support for science center events and exhibitions.
• Quantum Valley Lower SaxonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional quantum technology network cluster. The phaeno quantum area is part of this network where scientists, research institutions, and companies collaborate on quantum technology development.
• Giant Monkey GmbH (go~mus)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of the go~mus ticketing software system for online ticket sales and visitor management.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum pioneering hands-on learning since 1969. Comparable to phaeno in interactive exhibit philosophy and school/family programming; widely regarded as the global benchmark for hands-on science centers.
• Science Centre Singapore: Major Asian science center with interactive exhibits across physical sciences, technology, and mathematics. Comparable to phaeno on interactive learning model, school program emphasis, and event-driven programming.
• Universum Bremen: Science center in Bremen, Germany, with hands-on exhibits covering science, technology, and human perception. Closely comparable German regional peer with similar interactive exhibit model and STEM education programming.
• Copernicus Science Centre: Large interactive science center in Warsaw, Poland, with permanent and temporary exhibitions plus a planetarium. Comparable European peer with hands-on STEM exhibits, school programming, and architectural landmark identity.
• Technorama: Swiss science center in Winterthur featuring hundreds of interactive stations across physics, perception, and technology. Highly comparable to phaeno in exhibit-led hands-on philosophy, scale (300+ exhibits), and science demonstration programming.
• Questacon: Australia's National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra, with interactive exhibits and strong school programming. Comparable peer on public-sector ownership, interactive exhibit model, and emphasis on national STEM education outcomes.
• NEMO Science Museum: Iconic science center in Amsterdam featuring hands-on exhibits on science and technology, housed in a striking architectural building. Directly comparable to phaeno on interactive learning model, architectural landmark identity, and family/school audience targeting.
• Experimenta: Science center in Heilbronn, Germany, with a strong focus on hands-on experimentation across natural sciences and technology. Closely comparable to phaeno in interactive exhibit philosophy, target audience (families, schools), and German STEM education positioning.

Regional players

• Odysseum Köln: Interactive science and adventure center in Cologne, Germany, focused on hands-on experiments for children and families. Comparable German regional peer targeting family visitors and school groups with interactive science exhibits.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Museum: One of the world's oldest and largest science and technology museums, located in Munich. Directly comparable as a German science/technology museum focused on interactive and exhibit-based learning, though substantially larger in scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/phaeno_wolfsburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phaeno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about phaeno gGmbH