German Brass Museum slashes hours and staff to survive funding crisis
Germany's Brass Museum in Krefeld-Fichtenhain Cuts Back Opening Hours
The German Brass Museum on Medienstraße in Krefeld-Fichtenhain is reducing its opening hours. "From now on, we can only offer our two-hour guided tours on Wednesday afternoons," lamented director Knud Schöber. The sole exception: if pre-booked groups pay the full price for a tour, they may arrange an alternative date.
Office hours have also been scaled back, now limited to Mondays through Wednesdays. "On other days, we will focus exclusively on research," Schöber announced.
The museum's team itself has been downsized. A conservator was laid off, and a permanent research position was converted into a part-time role.
The drastic cost-cutting measures stem from an annual budget shortfall of €60,000 to €80,000. "We had hoped the city of Krefeld would bridge the gap," Schöber recalled, referring to his funding applications. Yet his requests went unheeded. To date, the museum has received no financial support from the city. Even applications to other institutions with museum funding programs were rejected—despite the Brass Museum being the only one of its kind in Germany.
To return to solvency, Schöber is now cutting back on the roughly 100 guided tours held annually. Though they generate admission revenue, they still incur an annual loss of around €8,000. "We have to eliminate that loss," he emphasized.
The museum's income comes from other sources. The largest share stems from loaning its exhibitions to other museums and institutions. The second-biggest revenue stream is expert lectures delivered at external venues. A third source is book sales: the museum publishes academic series on applied art, highly sought after by researchers, collectors, and specialists.
Despite the reduced visitor access, interested individuals—whether solo visitors or groups—can still book appointments online or by phone. They will be accommodated for group tours, typically on Wednesday afternoons.
Additionally, the museum is collaborating with educators to develop a specialized pedagogy program for young people. Under the motto "Young Researchers Explore," students will engage with the collection, discovering artistic periods, creators, materials, and techniques. The initiative is particularly suited for schools and project weeks.
