Visitors to the Nobel Peace Center use an interactive wall to learn about the history of the medal and past recipients, among them Ang San Suu Kyi. (Patrick Dickson/Stars and Stripes)
On Oct. 9, 2009, the Nobel Committee announced that it would award its peace prize to U.S. President Barack Obama.
Many scoffed at the choice; the prize traditionally has been awarded for achievement, not potential. But in announcing its decision, the committee said: "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future."
In Oslo, the Nobel Peace Museum is further honoring Obama with two exhibits: one an annual exhibit to honor the selectee; the other, "From King to Obama," follows Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil-rights movement in the 1960s to Obama’s election. The second exhibit continues through April 11.
King accepted the Peace Prize in 1964, its youngest recipient at age 35. The museum does a nice job of showing how King paved the way for Obama by changing so much about American culture in the 1950s and ’60s.
The exhibit’s films are heartbreaking: His nervous system was drained by the constant threat of violence, and it was hard to watch as he became tired but still felt responsible for going out and speaking to crowds.
It’s eerie to see him foreshadow his own death in a speech the night before he was assassinated: "I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man."
Visitors can wander through the museum to learn about the history of the peace prize and its recipients; there are interactive exhibits and several opportunities for kids to engage — they can leave messages on the walls, draw and more. They won’t be bored.
— Patrick Dickson