A New Nobel Center will open in Stockholm

The prestigious Nobel Prize will move into a completely new building in 2018, thanks to a large donation from the family foundation behind H&M and the Foundation behind the SEB bank and Svenskt Tenn. The new Nobel Center will be situated on the Blasieholmen peninsula, next to Nationalmuseum. The present Nobel Museum will be integrated in the new Center.

The new Nobel Center will become a meeting place that encourages curiosity and creativity and at the same time invite people into the Nobel Prize's unique world of natural sciences, humanities and peace efforts.

The donation means that the international architectural competition can begin. This will occur on June 14, when the twelve selected architects are invited to Stockholm to attend an initial seminar. During the spring of 2014, a winning proposal for the design of the Nobel Center will be unveiled.The conditions for the architectural competition and the jury will be announced at a press conference on June 14, 9.00 at the Nobel Museum. The participating architects will be present

According to the preliminary timetable, the Nobel Center can open its doors to the public in December 2018.

The donors are the Erling-Persson Family Foundation (H&M) and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (SEB Bank/Svenskt Tenn). Together these donors are contributing SEK 800 million, making it one of the largest private donations for a project of this kind in Sweden.

“It is with great joy that we have chosen to donate funds to create a home for the Nobel Prize in Stockholm. The Nobel Center will be a place that stimulates curiosity and learning among a younger generation and where researchers, students, decision makers and an interested general public can come together to find answers to the major issues of the future,” says Stefan Persson, Chairman of the Erling-Persson Family Foundation.

“Contributing to the Nobel Center feels important. For a long time, the Nobel Prize has been a vital institution that has reinforced the image of Sweden as a leading knowledge-based nation. The Nobel Center will enable Stockholm to offer a platform that provides uniquely good opportunities to attract prominent researchers and to generate scientific activities of the highest international calibre,” says Peter Wallenberg Jr, Vice-Chairman of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation