The Städel Museum launches Endowment Campaign

Major Endowment Campaign for the Museum’s Core Funding / Endowment Contributions from Supporters have begun

The Städel Museum is the first German art museum to launch a comprehensive endowment campaign. The aim is to significantly increase the foundation capital, which will be preserved in the long term. The launch of the endowment campaign was announced yesterday at a festive event at the Städel. In the presence of 160 supporters of the museum, the establishment of the Städel Future Fund was ceremoniously announced.

Supported by the non-profit Städelsches Kunstinstitut foundation, the Städel is one of the oldest and most successful civic museum foundations in Germany. The museum is primarily financed by its visitors, private patrons, foundations, corporate partners and the Städelscher Museums-Verein. Additional funds come from the City of Frankfurt and the State of Hesse. In the medium term, the Städel Endowment will be another important pillar of the museum’s core funding.

More than two centuries after its founding through the generous bequest of Johann Friedrich Städel, his museum is now taking a decisive step towards securing its longterm financial independence. Over the coming years and decades, contributions to the Städel Future Fund will gradually expand the museum foundation’s capital. All endowment contributions to the Städel Museum are legally inalienable. The endowment will not be spent but rather preserved for future generations. The income, however, can be used to finance all of the museum’s core tasks.

The aim is to increase the Städelsches Kunstinstitut endowment to at least 100 million euros. The initiative is modelled on the endowments of major international cultural and scientific institutions, particularly in the United States.

The endowment will ensure that Johann Friedrich Städel’s vision of a civic museum is carried forward into the future. The campaign, guided by the principle Städel remains Städel, is aimed at the general public. Preparations for the Städel Endowment began in 2023. Since then, the Städel Museum has already received endowment contributions and pledges amounting to over € 10 million. Exceptional contributions were made by several private individuals, foundations of Frankfurt and the Städelscher Museums-Verein. The Städel Museum will achieve at least a quarter of its aimed amount through bequests from long-standing visitors. Further bequests have already been pledged to the museum. At yesterday’s festive event at the Städel Museum, this sum was increased by several million euros thanks to the generosity of the guests.

Philipp Demandt, Director of the Städel Museum, on the endowment: “The world is changing, and only what changes will remain. The Städel is embracing this change and shaping it with resoluteness and self-determination. The significant expansion of our foundation’s endowment is a historic milestone and, at the same time, the next logical step towards the future. The existence and success of the Städel Museum have been shaped by civic engagement like few other institutions—and have been for over 200 years. Our primary goal is to preserve the openness and freedom of our institution, as well as its financial independence, for future generations. The first generous contributions to the endowment fill us with great confidence. Companions become pioneers! Everyone is invited to contribute to the ‘Städel Future Fund’! My sincere thanks go to all friends and supporters who are committed to this great task.”

The Städel Museum is one of Germany’s best-known and most visited art museums, with a collection of international masterpieces spanning over 700 years. The museum presents major special exhibitions by renowned artists and continuously broadens its perspective on art history through programmatic new discoveries. Its science, research and art education are of the highest calibre. Through its diverse educational programme and free digital offers, the Städel promotes community for all generations and cultural participation into old age.

The Städel Museum has been a private foundation since its establishment in 1815. With 85% of its total budget financed from its own resources, the Städel Museum has one of the highest self-financing ratios of any European museum. Admission revenues and donations from civil society are key sources of funding for the Städel. Essential information about the Städel Endowment can be found on our website.

You can find the full press release here as a PDF.