Museum Koenig

What Museum Koenig does

Museum Koenig Bonn operates as a publicly funded research museum within the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), combining scientific biodiversity research with public education. The institution, founded in 1934 and located on Bonn's Museumsmeile, holds millions of zoological specimens and operates a biobank that participates in the Global Genome Biodiversity Network. Core offerings include the permanent exhibition 'Our Blue Planet - Life in the Network,' rotating special exhibitions (including 'Facettenreiche Insekten' through September 2026), and a structured educational program for children, schools, families, adults, and inclusive audiences via the 'Museumsschule' (Museum School) facility and 'Maggie' mobile museum service.

The technology stack spans physical infrastructure (the historic Koenig Villa, the main museum building renovated 2003, and the Clas M. Naumann Building completed 2004) and a digital portfolio that includes the NEO (Natur Entdecken Online) learning platform, virtual tours, the educational escape game 'PROJECT POLLINATION: A BUZZING RESCUE,' and the LIBelle YouTube series. Citizen science platforms COGS (BirdBuddy AI bird feeders) and LEPMON (AI camera traps for moth monitoring) integrate computer vision into biodiversity research.

The revenue model combines government grants from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (the dominant funding source), ticket revenue (3-15 EUR per admission across individual, reduced, group, and family tiers), annual AKG society memberships (~650 members), event fees, and donations/corporate sponsorship. Customer segments include general public visitors, school groups, families, and researchers accessing scientific collections. Strategic partners include the Leibniz Association, Museumsmeile Bonn collaborators, GGBN, and the dual-site LIB partner Museum der Natur Hamburg. Leadership is headed by Director General Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof and Managing Director Adrian Grüter.

Name

Museum Koenig

Legal name

Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels (LIB)

Website

https://zfmk.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Museum Koenig Bonn is a publicly funded natural history research museum in Bonn, Germany, part of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change. It serves general public visitors, school groups, and families through permanent and rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and citizen science projects built on extensive zoological collections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Biodiversity research
• Museum exhibitions
• Science education programs
• Digital learning platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Fees: Revenue from day tickets, group tickets, family tickets, and mini-family tickets for museum access. Ticket prices range from 3 EUR (reduced) to 15 EUR (family ticket).
2. Membership Fees (Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft): Annual membership fees from the AKG society with approximately 650 members. Members receive free admission and other benefits.
3. Donations and Sponsoring: Donations through the Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft, with tax-deductible contributions. Corporate sponsorship for exhibitions and programs, including the rainforest exhibition.
4. Government Funding: Core funding from German federal government (BMBF - Bundesministerium für Forschung) and state government (NRW Ministry of Culture and Science), as part of the Leibniz Association research museum network.
5. Event and Program Fees: Fees for special programs, workshops, and events including the AKG forest walk at 10 EUR for non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Museum Koenig is a natural history research museum operating permanent and special exhibitions of biological specimens, complemented by educational programs for schools and the public, digital learning platforms, and scientific research in biodiversity. The museum serves as both a public attraction and a research institution within the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB).

Product overview

Museum Koenig Bonn operates as a research museum within the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), offering a combination of physical and digital experiences centered on biodiversity education and research. The core offering consists of the permanent exhibition 'Our Blue Planet' and rotating special exhibitions showcasing nature photography and biodiversity themes. Educational offerings include structured programs for schools, families, children, and youth, while the digital portfolio encompasses the NEO online learning platform, virtual tours, and escape games. The Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft (AKG) membership program provides additional engagement through nature excursions, art competitions, and research funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NEO - Natur Entdecken Online: Digital learning platform offering online educational content about nature and biodiversity for children and young people.
• Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft (AKG)
• LIBelle

Products and services

• Permanent Exhibition "Our Blue Planet" On-site permanent exhibition of biological specimens included with museum admission, designed for general visitors, families, and school groups.
• Special Exhibitions Ticketed temporary exhibitions offered at the museum, renewing the visitor experience with topical or curated biological themes.
• Educational Programs (Museum School) Curriculum-aligned educational programs delivered on-site for school groups, with free admission for registered school visits.
• AKG Membership (Freunde des Museums Koenig) Annual paid membership providing supporters access to events, previews, and engagement with the museum's mission and research.
• Animal Sponsorships Donation-based sponsorship program for individual animals at the museum, supporting conservation work and animal care.
• Digital Museum (Virtual Tours) Free digital online experience offering virtual tours of the museum's collections for remote visitors and education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,500 guests at Museumsmeilenfest 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft (AKG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AKG is a registered non-profit society with approximately 650 members that has supported the museum for over 40 years. It promotes educational opportunities in natural sciences and nature conservation, raises funds, supports research projects, and organizes events including art competitions, excursions, and the 'Natur beflügelt' youth program.
• Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of biodiversity biobanks that Museum Koenig's biobank participates in, enabling sharing of genetic samples and research data globally for conservation and scientific purposes.
• Museumsmeile BonncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with four other major Bonn museums (Kunstmuseum, Haus der Geschichte, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle, Deutsche Welle) for joint events including the annual Museumsmeilenfest attracting thousands of visitors.
• Leibniz AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum Koenig Bonn is part of the Leibniz Association (Leibniz-Gemeinschaft), a network of non-university research institutions. The museum operates as the Bonn location of the Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels (LIB), jointly with Museum der Natur Hamburg.
• Museum der Natur HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hamburg location of LIB, creating a dual-site research museum network combining Bonn and Hamburg facilities for biodiversity research and public education.
• Freie Naturschilder e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNature education organization providing educational materials and programs, including the 'Natur Entdecken Online' (NEO) digital learning platform content.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Museum of Natural History: Massive U.S. natural history institution combining research, collections, exhibitions, and education. Comparable mission and offerings at substantially larger scale with different funding model.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Massive natural history museum within the broader Smithsonian system, combining research collections, exhibitions, and education. Comparable scope and mission though significantly larger scale and resources.
• Field Museum (Chicago): Large U.S. natural history museum combining research collections, exhibitions, and education. Comparable mission and offerings though U.S.-based with different funding model.

Direct peers

• Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Dutch natural history research museum and collections hub with comparable combination of public exhibits, large research collections, and biodiversity research mandate — directly comparable operating model and target audience.
• Museum der Natur Hamburg: Sister site within the same Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels (LIB), jointly operated with Museum Koenig. Effectively a co-located peer institution for research, exhibitions, and collections.
• Natural History Museum London: Iconic natural history museum with research collections, public exhibitions, and educational programming. Comparable as a research-museum hybrid in the natural history space serving both scientific and general audiences.
• Museum für Naturkunde Berlin: Germany's largest natural history museum and Leibniz Association peer — directly comparable as a research-integrated natural history museum with millions of specimens, research programs, and major exhibition infrastructure in the German-speaking market.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris): French national natural history museum with deep research mandate, large collections, and public programming. Comparable as a research-driven natural history museum serving both scientific and general public audiences.

Regional players

• Naturhistorisches Museum Wien: Major Austrian natural history museum with comparable research-museum structure, large collections, and exhibitions. Regionally adjacent to Germany but does not directly compete in Bonn's catchment area.
• Naturhistoriska riksmuseet (Stockholm): Swedish national natural history museum combining research and public exhibitions, comparable in mission to Museum Koenig. Operates in a different national market but with similar research-museum hybrid structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjH5k5eDxj8CzjJRBCz7R7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/leibniz.lib
• Instagraminstagram.com/museum_koenig_bonn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-koenig

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Museum Koenig