Main conference venue: the Fürstenberghaus

The main conference sessions and plenary talks will take place at the Fürstenberghaus (Domplatz 20–22, 48143 Münster). This building is named after Franz Friedrich Wilhelm von Fürstenberg, a late 18^th century statesman known for his progressive politics. The Fürstenberghaus, which also houses the University of Münster Archaeological Museum, is located on the Domplatz (cathedral square) in the centre of the city. It is therefore close to a range of lunch and dinner options, as well as most of Münster's main sight-seeing attractions. It is also easily accessible from the train station and the city's hotels, either by bus, taxi or on foot.

Icebreaker reception: the Prince-Bishop's Palace

The icebreaker reception will take place on the evening of Sunday 20^th September at the Prince-Bishop's Palace of Münster (Schlossplatz 2, 48149 Münster). This baroque castle was previously the residence of the prince- bishops of Münster; now, it is used as the administrative centre of the University of Münster. Directly behind the castle lies the University of Münster Botanical Garden, which will be open for conference delegates to explore during the reception. A range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available during the reception, plus nibbles and finger-food to keep delegates sustained through the evening.

Conference dinner: the Meranti Hall

The conference dinner will be held on the evening of Wednesday 23^rd September at the Meranti Hall in Münster's zoo – or, to give it its proper name, the Allwetterzoo Münster, with the 'Allwetter' ("any-weather") referring to its clever system of covered walkways. The Meranti Hall is the new tropical house in the zoo (Sentruper Straße 315, 48161 Münster), and is named after the meranti trees of the dipterocarp genus Shorea.

Delegates will be able to explore the Meranti Hall ahead of the dinner, wandering among the tropical plants and coming face to face with tapirs, anteaters, monkeys and otters. The dinner itself will be a buffet overlooking the main hall, after which delegates will have the option of enjoying a show at the Planetarium in the LWL-Museum of Natural History (see below).

The ticket for the dinner will also include entry for the zoo, so attendees have the option of arriving early and exploring the zoo before drinks and dinner. The Allwetterzoo is easily accessible from the city centre by bus (line 14), or to make more of an entrance, the Solaaris waterbus operates around the Aasee (Münster's lake), and stops directly at the zoo.

Planetarium Show at the LWL-Museum of Natural History

On the evening of Wednesday 23^rd September the LWL-Museum of Natural History is offering a free planetarium show to EPPC delegates. The museum is just a few minutes walk from the Allwetterzoo and so this will be particularly convenient for those attending the conference dinner, although entry is open to all EPPC delegates; tickets can be booked as part of the registration process.

The show "Galaxy - a journey beyond the Milky Way" takes planetarium visitors on a breathtaking tour through our galaxy. Starting from Earth, the journey takes us far out into space, allowing us to see what the Milky Way looks like from the outside - a 3-D view made possible by the latest scientific data and simulations, but one that no human has ever seen before. We continue with a fascinating journey into its bright centre, with a visit of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, and on through our galaxy. Along the way, we'll explore questions such as how all the stars are formed and how a galaxy changes over time.