The Museum

The Kirchner Museum Davos collects, preserves, and researches the work of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and makes this work accessible to the public. We are a non-profit private museum owned by the Ernst Ludwig Kirchner Foundation Davos.

The collection of the Kirchner Museum Davos covers all creative periods of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner from 1904 to 1938. In addition, it collects selected works by the ‘Brücke’ artists and other artists of classical Modernism.

The Kirchner Museum Davos is a cultural beacon of Switzerland. It is a place of contemplation, regeneration, and debate. We are a cosmopolitan, service-oriented, and family-friendly museum that appeals to all age groups and segments of society.

permanently display parts of our top-class collection and research, preserve, and document it;
provide insights into our collection through monographic and thematic special exhibitions and create a productive dialogue between classical Modernism and contemporary art;
promote scholarly work and are in close contact with artists, collectors, and other museums;
fight for art and aesthetic education to be given prominence in social awareness;
contribute to the cultural identity of Davos and the Grisons region and promote intercultural dialogue through international exhibitions and joint projects;
foster collaboration with the friends, sponsors, and cooperation partners of the museum.

Foundation

Team

Art education

Barbara Ryf

Edelgard Bangert

Paula Ammann

Monique Schneuwly

Museum staff

Therese Baumgartner

Edeltraut Eisentraut

Marianne Fankhauser

Sabrina Florin

Silvie Gnehm

Harriet Grachten

Leslie Hafner

Isabelle Haller

Anneliese Scherrer

Martha Wellauer

Doris Wiedemann

Foundation

At the initiative of Roman Norbert Ketterer, the Ernst Ludwig Kirchner Foundation was established on July 1. It owns the collection. Since 1992, it has kept an extensive collection of works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner based on several generous gifts, including of Rosemarie and Roman Norbert Ketterer, the Benvenuta Family Foundation, and previous donations from municipal and private collections.

Thanks to additional significant gifts and donations from private owners since 1992, the Kirchner Museum Davos now has a collection that includes representative selections of work covering all of Kirchner’s creative periods and main themes. In addition, the Foundation owns significant holdings of works by Kirchner’s Expressionist contemporaries as well as by his students. The Foundation is the owner of the museum building, itself a donation of the Benvenuta Family Foundation.

Annual Reports Download

> 2022 Annual Report (pdf)

> 2021 Annual Report (pdf)

> 2020 Annual Report (pdf)

> 2019 Annual Report (pdf)

> 2018 Annual Report (pdf)

The Foundation’s mission

The Foundation’s mission is to promote and preserve the work of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner for the public on a strictly non-profit basis.

To realize this mission, the Foundation can, among other things, compile a collection of works by the artist and set up and operate in the Davos landscape a Kirchner Museum and a documentation and research center as well as a library focusing on the life and work of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and other artists. It can organize permanent or temporary exhibitions of works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, by other artists of German Expressionism, or by artists associated with Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and/or German Expressionism, and issue, commission, or support relevant publications. It can organize, host, and support exhibitions of work by contemporary artists.

Members of the Foundation board

Günther Ketterer, President, Bern
Britta Allgöwer, Davos
Almiro Carigiet, Davos
Carola Ertle Ketterer, Bern
Dr. Alexandra Henze, Wichtrach
Dr. Wolfgang Henze, Wichtrach
Ingeborg Henze-Ketterer, Wichtrach
Corina Issler Baetschi, Davos
Angela Ketterer, Vancouver
Dr. Claudio Rhyner, Davos
Elke Rogge, Reutlingen
Denise Schmid, Kilchberg
Dr. Dietrich von Frank, Zurich
Philipp Wilhelm, Davos

Founding members

Roman Norbert Ketterer, Campione d’Italia
Dr. h.c. Eberhard W. Kornfeld, Bern
Bruno Gerber, Davos, Vice President / representing the Spa and Tourist Office (Destination Davos Klosters)
Karl Mattle, Davos – representing Landschaft Davos Gemeinde
Christian Meisser, Monstein
Duri Pitschen, Davos – representing Davos-Klosters-Bergbahnen
Primo Rinaldi, Davos
Dr. Luzius Schmid, Davos – Landammann, representing Landschaft Davos
Ernst Stettler, Davos – representing Schweizerische Kreditanstalt Davos
Peter Trechsel, Davos – representing Davos-Klosters-Bergbahnen

Donor Society

As a member of the Donor Society, you benefit from many advantages. These include free admission to the Kirchner Museum Davos all year round, personal invitations to exclusive previews and exhibition openings. Public guided tours are free of charge as well.

Feel free to contact us for information about other membership benefits: info(at)kirchnermuseum.ch, or tel. +41 (0)81 410 63 00