Nobel Laureate Exhibition
For more than a century, the Nobel Prize has symbolised the spirit of research and the desire to improve the world through science. Every year, millions of people look to Stockholm and Oslo when the names of the new prize winners are announced.
The award was established by the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The Nobel Prize was awarded for the first time on 10 December 1901, the fifth anniversary of the death of its founder Alfred Nobel. The first Nobel Prize ever awarded at that time went to the Würzburg physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. With the discovery of X-rays, he revolutionised medicine and laid the foundation for Würzburg's tradition of excellent research. To date, 14 Nobel Laureates have taught, researched or studied here.
In 2026, we will be celebrating this anniversary with a travelling exhibition, events and special insights into the world of Nobel Laueates. Join us on a journey through 125 years of scientific history – and discover how research from Würzburg continues to shape our world today.
Travelling Exhibition "Outstanding! 14 Würzburg Nobel Laureates – Ingenious Minds that Changed the World"
What does the physicist Ferdinand Braun have to do with group chats on WhatsApp? What do the different blood groups actually mean? And how is the oxygen we all need to live produced?
The exhibition shows how strongly the ideas and discoveries of the Nobel Laureates continue to shape our everyday lives today and offers an entertaining overview - from the beginnings of the Nobel Prize to 14 groundbreaking research projects and the excellent science at the University of Würzburg today. At the same time, it takes a look at women in science – and poses the question of why the ranks of Würzburg's Nobel Laureates still consist exclusively of men.
Timetable of the Travelling Exhibition
You can visit the travelling exhibition at various locations in Würzburg in 2026, admission is free. The schedule will be updated regularly:
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27.01.2026 at 15:30: Opening of the exhibition
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27.01.2026 until 13.03.2026: Lichthof Neue Universität on Sanderring
(opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) -
16.03.2026 to 10.04.2026: Mozartareal
(opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) -
13.04.2026 to 07.05.2026: Central Lecture Hall and Seminar Building (Z6), Hubland Süd
(opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) -
08.05.2026 to 22.05.2026: Physics
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15.06.2026 to 26.06.2026: Rudolf Virchow Centre in the foyer
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20.07.2026 to 31.07.2026: Chemistry
New Edition of the Book "Nobel Laureates in Würzburg"
To mark the 125th anniversary of the awarding of the first Nobel Prize, a new publication on the Nobel Laureates of the University of Würzburg is being published. The authors Jost Lemmerich and Armin Stock shed light on the lives of the 14 Würzburg Laureates – and show how different the paths to scientific excellence can be.
The new edition of "Nobel Laureates in Würzburg" (Jost Lemmerich and Armin Stock) will be available in German and English from summer 2026, probably at the following bookshops in Würzburg
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Knodt bookshop
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Schöningh University Bookshop
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Bookshop Neuer Weg
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Bookshop dreizehneinhalb
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Hugendubel bookshop
