Stapferhaus
Stapferhaus is a Swiss non-profit cultural foundation in Lenzburg that designs and operates large-scale themed exhibitions on contemporary social questions, serving general public visitors, school groups, corporate clients, and senior care facilities across Switzerland through a transformable exhibition venue and mobile outreach programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersLenzburg, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stapferhaus does
Stapferhaus is a Swiss non-profit cultural foundation (Stiftung Stapferhaus Lenzburg) founded in 1960 in Lenzburg, Canton Aargau, that produces large-scale thematic exhibitions on contemporary social questions such as health, nature, gender, truth/lies, and security. It operates a purpose-built transformable venue at Lenzburg railway station, opened in 2018, featuring movable stairs, walls, and floors that can be reconfigured for each exhibition. The institution runs 2–3 year exhibition cycles combining physical installations, digital media, scenography, theater, game design, and dialogue-based mediation formats that engage visitors in participatory exchanges rather than one-way information delivery. Recent exhibitions have attracted 90,000 to 150,000+ visitors, with the 2024–2026 'Hauptsache gesund' setting a visitor record.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model combining earned income (admissions, vegetarian/vegan bistro, room rental for events, webshop sales, mobile workshop programs at CHF 1,100 per senior-care workshop series) and contributed income (a guaranteed CHF 450,000 annual operating grant from Canton Aargau, plus project-based funding from foundations including Stiftung Mercator, Beisheim Stiftung, Swisslos Kanton Aargau, and corporate partners such as Migros-Kulturprozent, Galenica, UBS, Vontobel, and Mobiliar). Total annual operating budget is approximately CHF 3 million, of which roughly CHF 1 million comes from own operating income. The target audience spans the general public, school groups, senior care facilities, corporate event clients, and cultural organizations. Distribution channels include the Lenzburg headquarters, mobile installations touring multiple Swiss locations (10 sites in summer 2026), a partner-installed experience path in Romandie, and online platforms (website, webshop, Spotify podcast, MailChimp newsletter). The institution is governed by a foundation board appointed in part by the Canton of Aargau, with Katja Gentinetta as president since January 2022.
Stapferhaus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stapferhaus
- Legal name
- Stiftung Stapferhaus Lenzburg
- Website
- https://stapferhaus.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stapferhaus is a Swiss non-profit cultural foundation in Lenzburg that designs and operates large-scale themed exhibitions on contemporary social questions, serving general public visitors, school groups, corporate clients, and senior care facilities across Switzerland through a transformable exhibition venue and mobile outreach programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Stapferhaus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lenzburg
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stapferhaus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Admission Revenue: Ticket sales from exhibition visitors. Major exhibitions attract 100,000-150,000+ visitors during their run.
- Public Funding: Fixed operating contribution of CHF 450,000 from public sector, plus project-based funding
- Bistro Operations: On-site vegetarian/vegan bistro serving food and beverages to visitors
- Room Rental: Rental of hall, atelier, and foyer spaces for external events and corporate functions
- Shop Sales: Webshop and on-site sales of exhibition publications and merchandise
- Foundation & Private Support: Support from foundations and private partners for specific exhibitions and projects
- Workshop Programs: Gesprächswerkstatt workshops for senior centers at 1100 CHF + travel expenses
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Gesprächswerkstatt - Three workshop afternoons on health topics |
| Subscription | Annual | Stapferkreis Friend membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Stapferkreis Gönner (Sponsor) membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Partnership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Stapferhaus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stapferhaus is a cultural foundation that develops and presents large-scale thematic exhibitions on contemporary social questions (health, nature, gender, truth, security), complemented by educational workshops, dialogue-based mediation programs, podcasts, venue rentals, a vegetarian bistro, and a membership supporter program. The institution operates from a purpose-built, transformable building in Lenzburg, Switzerland, and runs mobile outreach installations touring across the country.
Product overview
Stapferhaus is a cultural institution in Lenzburg, Switzerland, that creates interactive, sensory exhibition experiences focused on contemporary societal issues. The institution operates a permanent venue at Lenzburg railway station (opened 2018) and offers exhibitions, a bistro, room rentals, educational workshops, and a membership program. The core offering consists of themed exhibitions that combine interactive storytelling with critical dialogue, supported by podcasts, publications, and digital collections.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Thematic Exhibitions
- Gesprächswerkstatt zum guten Leben
- Room Rental (Venue Hire)
- Vegetarian/Vegan Bistro
- Stapferkreis Membership Program
- Weiterbildung Kulturmanagement (Kommunalpolitik Course)
- Exhibition Podcasts
Quantifiable outcome
- 150,000+ visitors to major exhibitions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Stapferhaus
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Stapferhaus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Stapferhaus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Migros-KulturprozentcoreCo-developed the experience path 'Natur. Und du?' which has been displayed at Parc Pré Vert – Signal de Bougy in Romandie since July 2026.
- GalenicacoreSupported 'Hauptsache gesund. Eine Ausstellung mit Nebenwirkungen' as partner to promote dialogue about healthcare development. Galenica is known as the strongest network in the Swiss healthcare market.
- Anne Frank FoundationcoreFirst exhibition 'Anne Frank and us' (1994) built on the renowned photo exhibition 'The World of Anne Frank' from Amsterdam, shown for first time in Switzerland at Stapferhaus.
- Kanton Aargau (Canton of Aargau)coreOne of Canton Aargau's eleven cultural flagship institutions. Public sector provides CHF 450,000 annual operating contribution. Canton appoints foundation president.
- Stadt Lenzburg (City of Lenzburg)coreCo-founding entity and ongoing public supporter. Provides representation on foundation board.
- Pro HelvetiacoreCo-founding entity of the Stapferhaus.
- Swisslos Kanton AargaumajorProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition providing lottery-funded cultural support.
- Stiftung MercatormajorProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition.
- Beisheim StiftungmajorProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition.
- UBSminorCorporate partner of Stapferhaus.
- VontobelminorCorporate partner of Stapferhaus through Vontobel Foundation.
- MobiliarminorCorporate partner supporting Stapferhaus.
- Daniel TyradellisminorExternal curator who collaborated with Stapferhaus on 'FAKE' exhibition.
- SotomominorOpinion research institute that conducted representative studies for Stapferhaus exhibitions on truth/lies and nature.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Stapferhaus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Aargauer Kunsthaus: Neighboring Canton Aargau art museum in Aarau with shared cantonal cultural funding ecosystem. Comparable scale and regional positioning, though focused on art collection rather than rotating thematic exhibitions.
Broad incumbents
- Palais de Tokyo: Paris-based contemporary art center with rotating thematic exhibitions and dialogue-based programming. Celia Bachmann previously worked in Vermittlung at Palais de Tokyo. Both institutions combine sensory installation design with participatory mediation formats.
- Fondation Beyeler: Renowned Swiss art museum in Basel-Riehen with a comparable public-private funding model and prestige tier; Michael Arnold previously led fundraising at Fondation Beyeler. Broader scope focused on modern art rather than thematic social exhibitions.
- Bundeskunsthalle Bonn: German federal cultural venue hosting rotating thematic exhibitions across art, science, and culture. Similar format of high-profile themed exhibitions with educational components, though at substantially larger scale.
Direct peers
- Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst: Zurich-based contemporary art museum operated by Migros-Kulturprozent (a key Stapferhaus partner). Comparable scale and Swiss contemporary art focus with rotating exhibitions and educational programming.
- Deutsches Auswandererhaus: German thematic exhibition museum in Bremerhaven that pioneered the immersive, narrative-driven thematic exhibition format in Europe. Closely comparable operating model as a purpose-built venue for rotating social-thematic exhibitions rather than permanent collections.
- Museum für Gestaltung Zürich: Swiss design museum with rotating thematic exhibitions and strong design/architecture award pedigree. Comparable interactive exhibition design and Swiss cultural institution scale.
Others
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stapferhaus social profiles
Digital presenceStapferhaus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stapferhaus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Stapferhaus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stapferhaus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stapferhaus
What does Stapferhaus do?
Stapferhaus is a cultural foundation that develops and presents large-scale thematic exhibitions on contemporary social questions (health, nature, gender, truth, security), complemented by educational workshops, dialogue-based mediation programs, podcasts, venue rentals, a vegetarian bistro, and a membership supporter program. The institution operates from a purpose-built, transformable building in Lenzburg, Switzerland, and runs mobile outreach installations touring across the country.
Is Stapferhaus a public or private company?
Stapferhaus is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stapferhaus founded?
Stapferhaus was founded in 1960. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stapferhaus based?
Stapferhaus is headquartered in Lenzburg, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Stapferhaus make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Admission Revenue is the primary driver. The others are public Funding, bistro Operations, room Rental, shop Sales, foundation & Private Support and workshop Programs.
Who are Stapferhaus's main competitors?
Aargauer Kunsthaus is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Palais de Tokyo, Fondation Beyeler and Bundeskunsthalle Bonn. Direct peers are Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Deutsches Auswandererhaus and Museum für Gestaltung Zürich. Vitra Design Museum is listed as an others.
Does Stapferhaus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stapferhaus.