Nobel Prize Museum

The Nobel Prize Museum occupies part of the old Stock Exchange Building on the north side of Stortorget, the main square of Gamla Stan. It opened in the spring of 2001, a century after the first Nobel Prizes were awarded, and shares the building with the Swedish Academy, which chooses the Nobel laureate in literature, and the Nobel Library. The museum is about ideas rather than objects: it tells the stories of laureates and the work that changed science, literature and the search for peace.

Exhibitions combine personal items donated by laureates with films, interactive displays and temporary shows. In autumn 2026 the museum is presenting Cells, nerves, genes, an exhibition about centuries of exploring the smallest details of the human body, and These things changed the world, about revolutionary inventions and ground-breaking ideas. A daily guided tour, included in the ticket, introduces the museum and its current exhibitions, and there are regular family workshops, talks and after-work tours, especially around the announcements in October and the prize ceremonies in December.

Bistro Nobel is a draw in its own right. It serves lunch, Swedish cakes and Nobel chocolate, as well as Nobel ice cream, which is sold only here. Look under the chairs: many have been signed by laureates who visited the museum. The bistro also hosts occasional events such as afternoon tea with live classical music.

The museum suits curious adults, students and families with older children; under-18s enter free. Allow an hour to an hour and a half, more if you join the guided tour or stay for a meal. Opening hours vary through the year, with a late opening on some evenings, so check the website before your visit. The first half of December, around the Nobel ceremonies, is a lively time to go.

Stortorget is in the middle of Gamla Stan, about five minutes' walk from Gamla Stan metro station through the narrow lanes. The Royal Palace and Storkyrkan cathedral are a couple of minutes away, and the square itself, with its colourful merchant houses, is one of the most photographed places in Stockholm. Combining the museum with a walk around Gamla Stan makes an easy half-day.