Zentrum Paul Klee

The Zentrum Paul Klee is a museum and cultural institution dedicated to the artist Paul Klee, located in Bern, Switzerland. Established in 2005, it holds the most significant collection of Klee's works in the world, encompassing roughly 40 percent of his entire pictorial oeuvre, or approximately 4,000 paintings, watercolors, and drawings. The institution serves as an international competence center for the research, communication, and presentation of Klee's life, work, and reception history. Beyond the visual arts, it functions as a multidisciplinary platform for music, literature, theater, dance, and interdisciplinary artistic expression, reflecting the diverse creative activities of its namesake.

The idea for a dedicated Paul Klee museum emerged in 1993 when his grandson, Alexander Klee, suggested the concept to the former director of the Museum of Modern Art in Bern. The project gained momentum in 1997 when Klee's daughter-in-law, Livia Klee-Meyer, donated her inheritance of almost 690 works to the city and canton of Bern. Additional works and documents were donated and loaned by the family and the Paul-Klee-Foundation, established in 1947, supplemented by 200 loans from private collections. The institution was realized largely through the patronage of surgeon and researcher Maurice Edmond Müller, who founded the cultural institution and established the Children's Museum Foundation on June 10, 2002. The decision to build the museum on the Schöngrün site on the eastern outskirts of Bern was made in 1998. Although the direct award of the architecture contract to Renzo Piano without a public competition drew criticism, the building was completed and opened to the public on June 20, 2005. Since August 2016, art historian Nina Zimmer has directed the institution, also serving as the director of the Kunstmuseum Bern.

The collection brings together approximately 4,000 of Klee's nearly 10,000 works, largely based on pieces the artist never sold, which he considered his personal memory. Alongside the pictorial oeuvre, the holdings include extensive biographical materials, archives, and photographs. The collection is distinguished by personal objects that offer a view into the artist's studio, such as handcrafted puppets Klee made for his son Felix and teaching materials from his time at the Bauhaus. Klee's personal collection of natural specimens, including dried plants, shells, snail shells, stones, and minerals, bridges his artistic output and his life history. Furthermore, the collection contextualizes Klee within his artistic milieu through works gifted to him by contemporaries such as Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, and Alexej von Jawlensky. The institution also houses a research center dedicated to investigating the diverse aspects of Klee's work.

While the institution does not highlight individual paintings as signature pieces, its notable holdings are defined by the breadth and uniqueness of its Klee-related material. The core comprises the roughly 4,000 paintings, watercolors, and drawings that constitute the world's most impressive collection of Klee's pictorial work. Beyond the fine art, the holdings of personal artifacts are particularly significant. These include the puppets Klee created for his son Felix, which provide intimate insight into his domestic and imaginative life. His instructional materials from the Bauhaus represent another substantial holding, shedding light on his pedagogical approaches. Additionally, the natural history specimens Klee collected and the manuscripts he wrote form a distinct part of the archive, alongside the artworks he received from his peers.

Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the museum is situated in the Schöngrün area of the Schosshalde district on the eastern outskirts of Bern. The building takes the form of three undulating steel structures that blend into the natural landscape, often referred to as hills. Construction required 4.2 kilometers of steel supports. Each of the three hills serves a distinct function. Hill North houses Creaviva, an all-ages creative studio and children's museum. Hill Center contains the museum exhibit space, providing 1,800 square meters of exhibition area. Hill South is dedicated to the collections and archives space. The facility also includes a chamber music room, meeting rooms, and a sculpture park. A community garden was added to the property in 2021.

The Zentrum Paul Klee is located in Bern, Switzerland, and operates as a cultural institution that shares its directorship with the Kunstmuseum Bern. The museum is accessible to the public and offers a wide range of programming beyond its exhibitions, including activities organized by the Sommerakademie foundation. A central feature for visitors is the Creaviva children's museum, which provides interactive workshops and cultural mediation programs for young audiences and families. The institution maintains an active role in cultural education, participating in international symposiums and local cultural festivals, and operates under the guidance of its current director, Nina Zimmer. Its official website can be found at zpk.org.