A topical exhibition is being showcased at the reopening to the Nobel Prize Museum in Sweden.

 “Contagious” looks at the issues of viruses and pandemics, after the coronavirus lockdown closed the museum in March.

It comes as the museum reopens to the public for the first time since mid-March and shows how throughout history, humans have faced challenges in understanding, managing and fighting viruses.

“Our new exhibition looks at how medical research, economic sciences, and also literature have looked at pandemics, viruses, the immune system over time,” says Erika Lanner, the director of the Nobel Prize museum.

“Given that we are the Nobel Prize museum we also want to convey that humanity has had an ability to overcome and find solutions in different times of crisis and convey a message of hope.”

The exhibition is trying to show that throughout history, humans have faced challenges in understanding, managing and fighting viruses.

“Contagious” explores the work of Nobel Prize-awarded winning scientists who have increased our knowledge of viruses, mapped our immune system and developed vaccines. It also focuses on the perspectives of Laureates in Economic Sciences, Lanner explains : “the Nobel laureates of economic sciences have looked a lot at how pandemics or epidemics affect society, how it affects the economy,”

For those who cannot travel to the museum, the exhibition is also available digitally, at Nobelprizemuseum.se, says Lanner: “We certainly have to digitalise and that is something that has been ongoing for many years and it has been fast forwarded within the last few months when we haven’t been able to welcome visitors to the same extent in our premises.”

Like other museums that are reopening following the pandemic in Sweden, the Nobel Prize Museum will take steps to follow the recommendations of the Swedish Public Health Agency, for example by observing social distancing in the museum.