Nobel museum arrives in Bangalore

Nobel museum arrives in Bangalore

CNN-IBN


Bangalore: A mobile Nobel museum, organised by the Nobel Foundation, is currently touring India, showcasing famous Nobel Laureates’ possessions in Bangalore.

The museum showcases a slate from Shantiniketan, the blanket used by Korean premier Kim Dae Jung when he was in prison, the X-Ray tube that earned its maker Wilhelm Rontgen the first Nobel Prize and several other award winning inventions.

"The museum is a base for further studies. It's very hi-tech and has a lot of unique audio-visual material. You can visit it for quarter of an hour or for six hours. Nobel Prize is well known as a phenomenon but there's a lot more to be told on achievements of Nobel Laureates as they reflect the main trends of developments in the last century," says Executive Director, Nobel Foundation, Michael Sohlman.

In the museum, one can see the life of Alfred Nobel and discover how he grew from being the inventor of dynamite to the founder of the prestigious Nobel Prize. A copy of his will is also at display.

"About 60-70 people discussed for a year which Laureates to exhibit and what artifacts to keep. A lot of effort went in its production and now we are taking it around the world. This is the 11th venue," says Director, Nobel museum, Professor Svante Lindqvist.

Of course, things like Amartya Sen's bicycle on which he toured the villages of Bengal are exhibited only in Sweden because there can't be a replica. But on the first day, the exhibition in Bangalore drew a large crowd.

"We get hands on experience on what Nobel Laureates experienced, an exposure to their way of life, their thoughts. We can hear their opinions," says student, Arvind Aradhya.

The exhibition is currently showing at the Visvesvaraya museum.