Stockholm’s Free Museums: The Nobel Museum

The Nobel Prize Ceremony is a highlight of the Swedish calendar so it’s no wonder that Sweden dedicates an entire museum to celebrate these successes of innovation and discovery.

Now the Nobel Museum does not offer not free entry all the time but… check their website as they often offer free entry one evening per week between September and May, meaning you can enjoy all this museum has to offer on a real shoestring budget!

What to expect?

The museum has been set up well to house and showcase the great Nobel Prize Winners of the past. Of course, much of the exhibition is focussed on the current Nobel Prize Winners, including the special ‘Nobel Creations’ exhibit: an exhibition devoted to visual, artistic and musical interpretations of the Prize Winners’ work.

You can also explore the Nobel Prize winners from previous decades and be amazed as you learn who these Nobel Prizes were awarded to in years gone by (no spoilers here – but you are sure to recognise many of the inventions, discoveries, literary works and recipients of this prestigious award).

Two walk-in cinemas are set up highlighting films about past Nobel Prize Winners (the film order seems to be fairly random so you never know who you might hear about). There is a small area dedicated to the life and work of Alfred Nobel and a children’s area with activities to keep them entertained (the museum has also created a quiz for children to complete as they explore the exhibits – just ask at reception).

One thing that really caught our eye was a mechanism hanging above the exhibits that moved in a train-track style along the museum’s ceiling to showcase past Nobel Prize Winners. We thought this was a great idea!

We visited on a free evening in January and were so surprised at how few people were taking advantage of their free entry offer. So… on one of those long winter nights –  this is definitely the place to be.

Location: Nobelmuseet: Stortorget 2, (the main square in Gamla Stan)
Nearest Tube: Gamla Stan (Red and Green Lines)
Free Entry Opening Times: Check the website

And if you're planning on visiting Stockholm any time soon, Booking.com has some great deals on hotels in and around the city. Highly recommended!