Ludwigshafen

How it all began

Enthusiasts have been visiting the heart of BASF, the headquarters in Ludwigshafen, for over 100 years. What used to be small tours for customers, researchers and celebrities turned into the modern BASF Visitor Center, with about 50,000 visitors per year.

Conducting tours of the BASF site premises has a long tradition. The first site tours through the facilities and the first information sessions took place over 100 years ago. This was primarily established for various officials.  

In the middle of the 1950s, the gates were opened to customers and interested guests too. Various site tours were devised for the approximately 15,000 visitors each year and, in 1965, a large illuminated model of the factory was set up specially for BASF’s 100‑year anniversary.

At the beginning of the 1980s, the number of visitors increased to approximately 30,000 guests per year. They were attended to by over 20 full‑time and part‑time factory guides.

Today’s BASF Visitor Center was opened in 2007. The former bath house at Gate 2 was converted specifically for this purpose. Each year, about 50,000 guests visit the 2,000 square‑meter exhibition area with over 200 multimedia and interactive exhibits and free guided tours through the exhibition and site tours in ten languages.