Stapferhaus

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.

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Lenzburg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admission Revenue: Ticket sales from exhibition visitors. Major exhibitions attract 100,000-150,000+ visitors during their run.
2. Public Funding: Fixed operating contribution of CHF 450,000 from public sector, plus project-based funding
3. Bistro Operations: On-site vegetarian/vegan bistro serving food and beverages to visitors
4. Room Rental: Rental of hall, atelier, and foyer spaces for external events and corporate functions
5. Shop Sales: Webshop and on-site sales of exhibition publications and merchandise
6. Foundation & Private Support: Support from foundations and private partners for specific exhibitions and projects
7. Workshop Programs: Gesprächswerkstatt workshops for senior centers at 1100 CHF + travel expenses

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Migros-KulturprozentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the experience path 'Natur. Und du?' which has been displayed at Parc Pré Vert – Signal de Bougy in Romandie since July 2026.
• GalenicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported '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 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst 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)coreOthersOne 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)coreOthersCo-founding entity and ongoing public supporter. Provides representation on foundation board.
• Pro HelvetiacoreOthersCo-founding entity of the Stapferhaus.
• Swisslos Kanton AargaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition providing lottery-funded cultural support.
• Stiftung MercatormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition.
• Beisheim StiftungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for 'Health first' exhibition.
• UBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Stapferhaus.
• VontobelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner of Stapferhaus through Vontobel Foundation.
• MobiliarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting Stapferhaus.
• Daniel TyradellisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal curator who collaborated with Stapferhaus on 'FAKE' exhibition.
• SotomominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpinion research institute that conducted representative studies for Stapferhaus exhibitions on truth/lies and nature.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional 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

• Vitra Design Museum:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/stapferhaus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stapferhaus-lenzburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/stapferhaus/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stapferhaus