ZURICH.- Kunsthaus Zürich welcomed more than 539,500 visitors in 2025, recording the second-highest attendance figure in its history and confirming its position as the most visited art museum in Switzerland. The figures were announced during the 131st General Assembly of the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, held on June 8, 2026, where members approved the 2025 annual report and financial statements by a large majority.

The vote signaled broad support for the museum’s current course, as Kunsthaus Zürich continues working toward long-term financial stability while maintaining its public role as one of Switzerland’s leading cultural institutions.

The year was marked not only by strong attendance, but also by new initiatives that opened the museum more widely to the public. For the first time, commissioned works were presented in the freely accessible foyer and garden of the Chipperfield building. The series “Art for All,” supported by private individuals and foundations, featured installations by Jeffrey Gibson and Monster Chetwynd, both of which became audience favorites.

Despite the museum’s strong public response, its financial situation remains a central concern. The 2025 accounts closed with a loss of CHF 1,425,684, compared with CHF 1,529,490 the previous year. The result was better than budgeted, and the loss was reduced, but the museum emphasized that part of the improvement was due to a one-time effect: the sale of an artwork connected to an amicable settlement with the heirs of collector Carl Sachs.

The agreement followed the Kunsthaus Zürich’s provenance strategy and its commitment to seeking fair and just solutions when there are substantiated indications that works may have been lost as a result of Nazi persecution. In keeping with the guidelines of the International Council of Museums, the Kunsthaus’s share of the proceeds was allocated to the collection fund. The museum also underlined that, according to ethical standards in the museum field, selling works to finance regular operations is generally not intended.

The General Assembly also brought personnel changes. Members confirmed Dr. Ulrich Sigg as a board member for another three-year term, while PricewaterhouseCoopers was re-elected as auditor for a further year. Corine Mauch, whose term as Mayor of Zurich ended on May 27, 2026, was thanked with applause for her service on the board. Her seat will be taken by Suzanne Naef Thalmann, chief of staff to the mayor.

Financial stabilization remains the major task ahead. Since the opening of the expanded Kunsthaus, the museum has faced permanently higher operating costs, particularly in staffing, security, and infrastructure. Although the Kunsthaus continues to generate substantial income of its own, these structural costs cannot be fully covered through self-generated revenues alone.





In October 2024, the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft submitted a request to the City of Zurich for increased subsidies to help secure the long-term operation of the expanded museum. In spring 2026, Zurich’s municipal council approved a corresponding proposal by the city council by a clear majority. A public vote on the future financing of the Kunsthaus is expected to take place in autumn 2026.

The museum has set itself the goal of gradually stabilizing its finances and reaching balanced annual accounts by the end of 2027. Measures introduced two years ago are beginning to show results, with operations organized more efficiently and the annual loss reduced compared with the previous year.

Kunsthaus Zürich continues to rely on a mixed funding model rooted in both public support and private initiative. In 2025, self-generated revenues remained an important part of the museum’s financing. With a self-financing rate of around 50 percent, the Kunsthaus occupies a distinctive position in comparison with other museums in Switzerland and abroad.

Members will also contribute to this stabilization effort. From 2027, membership fees will rise by an average of 10 percent, a move described as an important contribution to the long-term financial stability of the institution.

Philipp Hildebrand, president of the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, thanked members for their trust and said the challenges facing the Kunsthaus require a shared effort from the public sector, private supporters, and the museum itself. He noted that Kunsthaus Zürich has been supported jointly by the city and its citizens for more than a century, a partnership most recently reaffirmed in 2012 with public approval of the museum’s expansion.

“The upcoming public vote is an important opportunity to discuss the future of the Kunsthaus and its contribution to the City of Zurich,” Hildebrand said. “Kunsthaus Zürich is in close exchange with the international art world and has an impact far beyond national borders. At the same time, it is firmly rooted in Zurich and exists for the people of this city. We are moving forward with confidence — carried by the support of our members, our partners, and a broad public.”