Foundation

Auf sieben Europaletten liegen verschiedenste Gegenstände. Eine Frau mit Handschuhen sortiert sie.

Founded in 1980 by Bruno Stefanini, the Foundation for Art, Culture and History (SKKG) maintains and curates a unique collection of works of art and historical objects. As a foundation, the SKKG operates on a non-profit basis. With its collection and sponsorship, it is a strong partner within the Swiss museum scene.

Purpose & Vision

The SKKG is managed strategically by the Board of Trustees and operationally by the Directorate. It is divided into three divisions: Culture, Real Estate (Terresta) and Services. SKKG "has a charitable character and does not act for profit". According to the foundation charter, its purpose is "the preservation of artistic, cultural and historical values". To this end, it promotes the preservation and communication of these values, including "through the collection of art, cultural and historical assets", "by granting contributions to third parties" and "through the preservation and maintenance of architectural, artistic and cultural monuments".

Why cultural heritage?

The SKKG maintains and manages a lot of cultural heritage itself, with a collection of around 100,000 objects. How can cultural heritage fully develop its potential as a medium that promotes tolerance and democracy? We think: through participation and partnership, in the mediation in the museum, but also between us as a funding foundation and the funding recipients.

Why participation?

The SKKG does not want to set up its own museum - there are already more than enough great museums in Switzerland. However, cultural heritage only has value if you can engage with it, which is why we want to make our collection visible and tangible. Through our promotional activities, we gather know-how and experience from partners. Innovative employees from other cultural heritage institutions in Switzerland dare to conduct participatory experiments and we can experience what works, what can be expanded and what needs to be done differently in the future.

And where does the money come from?

Click here to see our team

History

The founder of the foundation, Bruno Stefanini, has been interested in art and history since his childhood. From the mid-1970s, he began to acquire works of art and historical objects at auctions and markets. On December 24, 1980, he established the Foundation for Art, Culture and History (SKKG) to manage his steadily growing collection. Today, the collection is estimated at around 100,000 objects.

Bruno Stefanini hält ein Auktionsschild mit der Nummer 597 auf.

The four culturally significant buildings purchased were Luxburg Castle (1971, sold to IG Luxburg 2022), Salenstein Castle (1979, sold to Leonis Immobilien AG 2024), Grandson Castle (1983) and Brestenberg Castle (1984) as well as the Wintower (1998) near Winterthur railroad station.

Bruno Stefanini managed SKKG practically single-handedly until 2013. After the founder's health deteriorated rapidly following an operation in 2013, a legal dispute arose between Bruno Stefanini's descendants, Bettina and Vital Stefanini, and the foundation board members at the time. The reason for this was a passage in the deed of foundation that gives Bruno Stefanini and his descendants the sole right to appoint foundation board members. The Board of Trustees at the time wanted to change this clause so that the Board of Trustees could re-elect itself.

The decisive factor in the Federal Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Bettina and Vital Stefanini was the original will of the founder, who was no longer considered "capable of judgement" at the time the deed was amended in 2013 due to rapidly progressing dementia.

Following the founder's death in 2018, his entire estate, including the real estate company Terresta, was transferred to his foundation SKKG.

from 2018 to 2023, his daughter Bettina Stefanini was President of the Board of Trustees. In July 2023, she moved from the strategic to the operational level and has been Director of SKKG ever since. Thomas D. Meier took over as Chairman on July 1, 2023.