The museum in figures
The Natural History Museum Basel is part of the presidential department. Below are its key financial, research and visitor numbers for 2023.
Income
85% of our income comes from contributions by the canton of Basel-Stadt. Besides that, we finance the museum's operation through admission fees, sales in the museum shop, revenue from services and through third-party funds from sponsors, benefactors and foundations.
Expenditure
57,5% of our expenses relate to staff costs. 25,5% are needed to cover the cost of renting the museum's premises. Around a fifth of our expenditure is used on running the museum, maintaining the collections, carrying out research and for exhibitions.
Income in detail
| Admissions | 737'916.– | 6,10% |
| Museum shop | 193'389.– | 1,60% |
| Guiding Tours/Events | 119'583.– | 0,99% |
| Other revenue | 126'795.– | 1,05% |
| Third-party funding exhibitions | 327'865.– | 2,71% |
| Third-party funding research | 335'797.– | 2,78% |
| Public contributions | 10'248'589.– | 84,77% |
| Total | 12'089'813.– | 100% |
Expenses in detail
| Material costs | 2'345'412.– | 19,4% |
| Property rental | 2'792'688.– | 23,1% |
| Staffing costs | 6'951'634.– | 57,5% |
| Total | 12'089'813.– | 100% |
Visitors and users
| Permanent exhibitions | 97'998 | 58,6% |
| Temporary exhibition Wildlife Photographer of the Year | 59'152 | 35,4% |
| Temporary exhibition SEXY - Driving force of life | 10'098 | 6,0% |
| Total number of visitors and other guests | 167'248 | 100% |
| Other guests* | 4'879 | |
| *Other guests using the museum's location without visiting the exhibitions. |
School groups
| Canton Basel-Stadt | 1'251 | 71% |
| Canton Basel-Land | 418 | 23,7% |
| Rest of Switzerland | 51 | 2,9% |
| Abroad | 43 | 2,4% |
| Total | 1'763 | 100% |
Figures for collections and research
| Number of loans of objects | 4'835 | |
| Number of new collection objects | 3'902 | |
| Number of days on which guest scientists visited | 544 | |
| Scientific publications by the museum's own employees | 46 | |
| Scientific publications by external scientists about parts of the collection | 59 |
Events
In 2023, the museum team designed and carried out a total of 363 different events.
Annual reports (in German only)
Annual report 2023
Annual report 2022
Annual report 2021
Annual report 2020