While the Federal Office of Culture had supported in 2023-2024 as many research projects on goods stolen by the Nazis as those taken in a colonial context, the majority (8 out of 14) of the projects selected for 2025-2026 fall under of the second category.
The highest grant amount goes to the Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig (Basel), dedicated to ancient art and civilization of the Mediterranean basin, which receives 100,000 Swiss francs (107,000 euros), as well as at the Bibel+Orient Museum (Fribourg), dedicated to biblical culture, which receives the same sum.
Six museums receive grants for research projects into the provenance of cultural property potentially stolen during World War II. The highest amount goes to the Kunstmuseum of Bern, dedicated to art from the Gothic era to the present day, which receives 100,000 Swiss francs (107,000 euros), as well as to the Historical Museum of Lausanne.
In total, 1.1 million Swiss francs (1.2 million euros) were allocated, less than during the 2023-2024 period (2 million Swiss francs or 2.1 million euros). This difference is explained by the fact that fewer projects were selected: 14 this year compared to 26 last year. This reduction allows the Federal Office of Culture to finance each project up to the requested amount, whereas this was not the case for the previous period.
In the 2000s, the Swiss Federal Council created the Office of Looted Art, attached to the Federal Office of Culture. Since 2016, this office has supported museums in researching the provenance of works potentially looted under the Nazi regime. Since 2018, this project has also focused on research concerning goods in colonial contexts or stolen from archaeological sites.
This year, the results of a provenance research project carried out from 2022 to 2024 by the Langmatt Museum in Baden, Switzerland, were published. The museum received 21,000 Swiss francs (around 21,600 euros) to carry out its research. Out of 13 paintings, the provenance of two works proved problematic. Agreements were reached with the heirs of the original owner.
