Kunsthaus Zürich Reports Second-Highest Attendance in 2025, Narrower Deficit
The Facts
Kunsthaus Zürich recorded over 539,500 visitors in 2025, the second-highest attendance in its history, making it the most-visited art museum in Switzerland. The annual financial statement closed with a loss of CHF 1,425,684, an improvement from the prior year's loss of CHF 1,529,490 and better than budgeted. The operating result was boosted by a one-time effect: the sale of a work of art as part of an amicable settlement with the heirs of collector Carl Sachs, consistent with the museum's provenance strategy regarding Nazi-looted art. The proceeds were allocated to the collection fund per ICOM guidelines.
The Signal
The structural deficit remains a central challenge, driven by increased costs for personnel, security, and infrastructure at the expanded museum. In October 2024, the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft applied to the city for higher subsidies; the city council approved the request in spring 2026, with a public referendum expected in autumn 2026. The museum aims to balance its annual budget by the end of 2027. Membership dues will rise by an average of 10 percent in 2027. The museum's self-financing ratio stands at about 50 percent, a high figure in national and international comparison.
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- Artists: Jeffrey Gibson, Monster Chetwynd
- People: Ulrich Sigg, Corine Mauch, Suzanne Naef Thalmann, Carl Sachs
- Museums: Kunsthaus Zürich
- Locations: Zürich
- Prices: CHF 1,425,684, CHF 1,529,490
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