About us
With its museums, libraries, archives, and research institutes, the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) is one of the important cultural institutions in the world. Its outstanding collections include all areas of cultural tradition: from archaeological and ethnological objects by way of the visual arts to literature and music. They are the basis of intense scholarly and educational work. The combination of art and culture with science and research is an unmistakable influence on the Foundation’s profile.
The foundation brings together 25 institutions: museums, libraries, archives, and research institutes. It was established in 1957 by federal law as a foundation directly responsible to the German government. It is financed by the German federal government – from the budget of the commissioner for culture and the media – and Germany’s sixteen states.
The organs of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz are the Foundation Council, the Executive Board and the President. The Foundation Board is the highest political decision-making body of the Foundation. It represents the Federal Government and the federal states. It elects the President and approves the annual budget. The Executive Board manages the Foundation as a collegial body. Within the guidelines set by the Foundation Council, it develops the Foundation's overall strategy and decides on matters affecting all of its institutions. The President is the chair of the Executive Board and determines its priorities. She ensures that the decisions of the Foundation Council are implemented. She represents the Foundation externally.
UNESCO World Heritage
