Your tour experience
Take a tour of Canada's only synchrotron research facility, for free!
The Canadian Light Source (CLS) is one of the largest science projects in Canada’s history. Our facility speeds up electrons to produce intensely bright synchrotron light that allows scientists to study materials at a molecular level. Over 1,000 researchers from around the world use the CLS every year.
Our tours
We accommodate
- General public tours for members of the public, small groups and families
- Tour requests for large groups (organizations, institutions, schools and local associations), at our discretion
What to expect during your tour
During your on-site visit of the CLS, our tour guides will lead you through our history, how our machine works, and will tell you stories about how researchers have used our facility to conduct groundbreaking research in the fields of health, agriculture, the environment, and advanced materials.
General public tours
If you are a conference organizer, school or organization representative or if your group requires special accommodations, please book here.
Members of the public, families, small groups (10 guests max.)
Mon-Fri, 9 am-5:30 pm
1 hour
Free
How to book
Sign up by selecting an available date in our tour calendar. You'll need to
- Provide your name, email and phone number
- Include the name of each tour attendee, if you are reserving multiple tickets
After registration, you will receive an Eventbrite email that confirms your booking. You won't have to print your tickets.
Minors must be accompanied by an adult. We reserve the right to cancel a tour.
Large group requests
We need at least three to four weeks notice to arrange tours for large groups. Tour requests for large groups are accommodated depending on resource availability.
Organizations, companies, conferences, local associations, groups requiring special accommodations, schools (20-30 guests max., depending on resource availability)
Mon-Fri, 9 am-4:30 pm
45 minutes
Free
How to book
Please fill out our form with the required information to help assist you with your tour request.
If you are requesting a tour for a group that will include minors, please note that we require one adult chaperone for every nine children.
We reserve the right to cancel a tour.
Virtual tour
Available 24/7
Self-guided experience
Free
Online
Access our virtual tour to get a one-of-a-kind view of areas not open to the public -- from the electron gun that "shoots" electrons, to the beamlines where scientitsts lead their experiments.
Below you will find tips and tricks to help you navigate our virtual tour.
Navigation
You can navigate the space with your mouse or arrow keys. Navigation tips can be brought up at any time by clicking "Help" in the lower right hand corner. The "More Help" tab that appears in this window will also provide detailed information about the features available in the tour.
Our space is quite large, so you probably won't make it though everything in one sitting! To jump to different spaces in the facility, you can use the highlight reel found at the bottom of the frame.
The tour begins at the electron gun, where the electrons that produce our bright light begin their journey. You can jump ahead to the scientific facilities in the highlight reel.
Colour Codes
Our tour uses several colour codes to help you find the information you'll find most interesting.
⦿ Purple tags share the science enabled by the CLS.
⦿ Green tags explain the scientific equipment.
⦿ Blue tags are for fun facts.
⦿ Orange tags provide directional instructions.
⦿ Yellow tags provide information about our educational programs.
NOTE: This tour was recorded while our facility was in maintenance mode, providing us with access to parts of the machine that are usually closed to staff and visitors alike. This also means that some areas are under construction, and we hope to update these areas of the virtual tour in the future.
Tour accessibility
The on-site tour will involve one hour of standing and walking slowly on our mezzanine. There is one flight of stairs, but an elevator is available for guests who may require it.
The ramp leading to the Canadian Light Source building entrance and the part of the facility where the tour will take place are fully wheelchair accessible.
If you require further assistance, please let our tour guides know when you check in at reception.
Parking information
The CLS is located on the University of Saskatchewan campus at 44 Innovation Boulevard in Saskatoon.
We have limited visitor metered parking spaces near our reception, immediately north of our building (see map below). In this parking lot, please park in only the metered stalls and purchase time on the meter to avoid a ticket.
Additional paid parking is available in Lot #4 (Education), west of our building (see map below). Please leave yourself extra time in case all of the metered spots in front of the CLS are full and you need to park in Lot #4.
Check current parking rates. Parking is free on evenings and weekends in designated areas.
If you have a large group coming by bus, please note that there is no bus parking available on campus. You will need to arrange your bus driver to drop you off and pick up at the CLS entrance.
Tour posters
During your tour you will see many posters on the walls of the CLS that tells our history and the groundbreaking research that we enable.
Contact us
Thank you for your interest in CLS tours! If you have questions about our tours, feel free to reach out to us at tours@lightsource.ca or 306-657-3644.