Everyone knows that all the Nobel prizes related to science are awarded in Stockholm. Only one prize which is the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo. For the sake of telling you how this award came about, who received it, and to look behind the scenes of this important international project, the Norwegians created the Nobel Peace Center.
Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and one of the wealthiest men of his time, decided to support science by annually paying large monetary benefits to those who achieved significant success in physics, chemistry, medicine, economics, and literature. In addition, he singled out a separate nomination for his award — for a contribution to the protection of peace on the planet. This award stood out because it was not directly related to scientific achievements. Nobel believed that it is one of the most important awards.
No one can say for sure why Alfred Nobel chose Norway as the place for awarding the Peace Prize. Anyway, every year since 1901 an honorary Committee (consisting of five famous Norwegians who are appointed by the Parliament for six years) first selects the most significant achievements and then picks the most worthy candidate who receives the Nobel Prize. Every year on the 10th of December an award ceremony is held in the beautiful front hall of the Oslo City Hall.
The Nobel Peace Center is a unique museum because it is dedicated neither to art nor to a specific person, but to a phenomenon — the prize. There are interesting exhibits dedicated to the history of the award, to the people who received it, to their contribution to preserving peace on our planet.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, the Nobel Peace Center regularly hosts thematic exhibitions and various events. For example, an unusual photo exhibition «What the World Eats» was held there: photo artists collected images with the contents of refrigerators from all over the world. Another example is the famous exhibition «Sheroes» which is about women who fought for peace and for the respect of their rights and freedoms.
The Nobel Peace Center is a modern and dynamic museum where everyone can find something interesting.