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 2021.

Income

89.43% 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

57.1% of our expenses relate to staff costs. 26.9% 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	440'530.–	4,23%
Museum shop	161'237.–	1,55%
Other revenue	70'207.–	4,37%
Third-party funding	381'469.–	3,67%
Public contributions	9'294'328.–	89,42%

Total	10'393'195.–	100%

Expenses in detail

Material costs	1'669'779.–	16,1%
Property rental	2'792'688.–	26,8%
Staffing costs	5'930'728.–	57,1%

Total	10'393'195.–	100%

Visitors and users

Permanent Exhibitions	50'051	55,1%
Temporary EARTH AT ITS LIMITS	38'299	42,2%
Night at the museum (cancelled due to COVID 19)	--	--
Third party events	2'412	2,7%

Total number of visitors and users	90'762	100%

School groups

Canton Basel-Stadt	776	57,1%
Canton Basel-Land	334	24,6%
Rest of Switzerland	215	15,8%
Abroad	34	2,5%

Total	1'359	100%

Figures for collections and research

Number of loans of objects		4'366
Number of days on which guest scientists visited		144
Number of new collection objects		13'704
Scientific publications by the museum's own employees		81
Scientific publications by external scientists about parts of the collection		95

COVID 19 protective measures

In order to contain the spread of the new type of coronavirus, event restrictions and bans as well as the temporary closure of cultural institutions were repeatedly imposed in the year under review. In total, the museum had to remain closed on 59 additional days, 192 events were canceled or postponed.