How to Use the CERN Open Data MCP in Claude

Query CERN particle physics data right from your Claude Desktop chat or the claude.ai browser interface.

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Connect CERN Open Data MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect CERN Open Data to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup CERN Open Data with Claude Desktop

Ask AI about this MCP

ChatGPT

Claude

Perplexity

Find the exact physics data you need

Use Claude to ask for data in plain English. It'll use tools like `search_datasets` and `search_by_experiment` to find what you're looking for, whether it's "13 TeV data from CMS" or "datasets about heavy-ion collisions." You get a list of matching records right in the chat. Once you have a promising record, just ask for the details. Claude uses `get_record` to pull the full abstract, author list, and DOI. It's a faster way to vet data than clicking through a web portal.

Get clear definitions for complex physics terms

The CERN data portal is full of jargon. This MCP server connects Claude to the official glossary. Ask "What is b-tagging?" and your agent uses `get_glossary` to give you the real definition used by physicists. This is great for writing documentation, explaining concepts to colleagues, or just getting up to speed on a new analysis area. You can also get a high-level overview of the entire portal's contents with `get_portal_statistics`.

Prepare for Analysis with your Claude MCP Server

Before you commit to downloading terabytes of data, you need to know what's inside. Ask Claude to list the files for a specific record. It runs `list_record_files` to show you every ROOT file, its size, and its checksum. You can even have it check the connection status first with `check_cern_opendata_status` to make sure everything is running smoothly. This MCP setup gives you the tools to plan your work before you start moving data around.

Setup guide

Set up CERN Open Data MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The CERN Open Data MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the CERN Open Data MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under cern-open-data-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cern-open-data-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by CERN Open Data. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about CERN Open Data MCP in Claude Desktop

Just ask Claude directly, like "Find me datasets about Higgs boson searches in CERN Open Data." It will use the `search_datasets` tool to query the portal and show you the results.

Yes. When you ask it to define a term like "luminosity," it uses the `get_glossary` tool from this MCP server to fetch the official definition from the CERN Open Data portal.

Be specific in your prompt. Say "Search for datasets from the ATLAS experiment in CERN Open Data." Claude will use the `search_by_experiment` tool for a targeted search.

No, this server is for discovery and metadata. It gives you the direct ROOT/EOS URIs via the `list_record_files` tool, which you can then use with your own data transfer tools to get the files.

The server only handles queries for public physics metadata like dataset titles, abstracts, and file lists. Your chat history is subject to Claude's policies, but the MCP tool calls themselves are processed in Vinkius's ephemeral sandboxes. No private data is involved.

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