NOBEL MUSEUM (NOBELMUSEUM)

Located on the pretty Stortorget square, with its tall, narrow green, red and yellow houses, which are featured on all the souvenir magnets. Within the walls of the old stock exchange, the museum presents the life of Alfred Nobel and the history of prizes and laureates since 1901, when the first awards were presented. For over a century, personalities who have made the greatest contribution to the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace during the past year have been honored with this world-famous prize. Since 1969, a sixth prize has been awarded to the world's greatest economists. It should be pointed out that the Nobel Peace Prize is not awarded in Stockholm, but in Oslo, in accordance with Alfred Nobel's wishes.

Before the museum, Alfred Nobel. Although he was famous for his dynamite, Alfred Nobel, born in Stockholm in October 1833, held 350 scientific patents during his lifetime. Born into a family of engineers, Alfred Nobel spent his teenage years in St. Petersburg, before studying chemistry in the United States. He lived in Paris for many years before moving to Italy, where he died of a stroke in 1896. A year earlier, on November 27, 1895, in his office at the Cercle suédois et norvégien on rue de Rivoli, Alfred Nobel had decided to bequeath a colossal fortune in his will for the creation of a prize to be awarded to those who have rendered service to humanity in the fields of peace, diplomacy, literature, chemistry, physiology/medicine and physics. A global event from the outset, this is how the Nobel Prize was born.

An instructive museum. Allow around 45 minutes for the visit. The museum is divided into two sections: one devoted to the life of Nobel, inventor of dynamite, and the other to the winners of the prize since its inception. Guided tours take place several times a day and are included in the ticket price. Tours are in Swedish and English, but for non-bilinguals, good news: an audio-guide is available in French. The Nobel Museum is also home to some very fine temporary exhibitions.

Coffee or lunch break. Inspired by the café culture of Vienna, Paris and Berlin, the museum is also an ideal place to take a break and sample the unmissable Nobel ice cream, complete with chocolate medallion. And between you and me, you'll be surprised at what you'll find under the restaurant's chairs.