  First laser cooling and trapping of the heavy alkaline earth element barium
has been achieved based on the strong 6s$^2$ $^1$S$_0$ - 6s6p $^1$P$_1$
transition for the main cooling. Due to the large branching into metastable
D-states several additional laser driven transitions are required to provide a
closed cooling cycle. A total efficiency of $0.4(1) \cdot 10^{-2}$ for slowing
a thermal atomic beam and capturing atoms into a magneto optical trap was
obtained. Trapping lifetimes of more than 1.5 s were observed. This lifetime is
shortened at high laser intensities by photo ionization losses. The developed
techniques will allow to extend significantly the number of elements that can
be optically cooled and trapped.
