A convincing overall solution calls for collaborative financing: private individuals, foundations and companies will cover more than CHF 50 million of the CHF 147 million to be spent on the museum’s renewal.

The total costs for the renovation of the Stettler Building, the building at Hodlerstrasse 6 and the new replacement building amount to around CHF 133.5 million as at 2023 (or CHF 147 million assuming inflation of 10% until 2033). Of this, CHF 52 million is to be financed privately.

Funding

The financing plan anticipates contributions of CHF 52 million from private individuals, foundations and companies. Through his generous commitment, museum patron Hansjörg Wyss is contributing CHF 30 million. Museumsstiftung der Burgergemeinde Bern has pledged CHF 5 million, and private individuals and foundations have committed CHF 3,5 million. Discussions are currently underway with other private donors to secure the remaining CHF 13,5 million (as at December 2025).

The City of Bern is getting involved in various ways: it is transferring building rights to the Hodlerstrasse 6 building to the Kunstmuseum Bern Foundation at no charge and covering the multimillion-franc costs for public spaces and streets.

The Canton of Bern – which finances Kunstmuseum Bern as a cultural institution of national importance in accordance with the Cantonal Cultural Promotion Act – is to cover the costs of renovating the old building (Stettler Building) and the building at Hodlerstrasse 6, and to contribute toward the cost of the replacement building. The renovation of the old building is necessary independently of the “Kunstmuseum Bern of the future” project. In September 2025, the Cantonal Parliament approved a cost ceiling of CHF 81 million.