EXPLORE: a multi-experiment open-access platform for education and training with LHC open data

EXPLORE is an open-access analysis platform developed at the University of Göttingen within PUNCH4NFDI, the NFDI consortium for Particle, Astro-, Nuclear, and Hadron Physics. The service provides FAIR-aligned, barrier-free access to ATLAS Open Data, enabling students, educators, and the public to carry out realistic particle-physics analyses without requiring CERN credentials or local software installations. Its technical foundation consists of an HTCondor overlay batch system, containerized environments via CVMFS and Apptainer, and dynamic resource provisioning through the COBalD/TARDIS framework. Users currently access 145 ATLAS Open datasets and structured tutorial examples supporting sustainable learning workflows.
EXPLORE is actively used in the HEP Masterclasses at Göttingen University and was introduced as a global resource during the ATLAS Open Data Tutorial (24-27 November 2025) at CERN. Since entering full production in late 2024, the platform has onboarded 28 users and processed around 190,000 analysis jobs. To broaden its educational reach, EXPLORE is being expanded to also support CMS Open Data workflows, with deployment planned ahead of the DPG Spring Meeting Erlangen 2026. The contribution presents the platform architec
ture, operational experience, educational deployments, and upcoming multi-experiment capabilities for LHC Open Data.