Warburg Institute reaches £5million fundraising target

Thanks to the support of several generous trusts, foundations and individuals, the Warburg Renaissance project is now underway.

Valued support

The Warburg Institute can now realise its vision to restore its original mixture of discovery, display and debate, and open its holdings and expertise to new audiences, thanks to support from its friends and supporters.

The Warburg Renaissance project will transform the Warburg Institute, part of the University’s School of Advanced Study, and make it secure, vibrant and accessible for future generations. The renovations will enhance its academic resources and public offerings, and create new facilities for special collections, exhibitions and events.

The total project cost is £14.5million and the University of London has committed the core budget of £9.5million. We are incredibly grateful to all those who have made gifts in support of the Warburg Renaissance, raising in excess of £5million and enabling the redevelopment to proceed. These include the project’s lead donor – the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung – as well as the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust, the Wolfson Foundation, the Wohl Legacy, the American Friends of the Warburg Institute, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Foyle Foundation, Mark Storey, Axel and Christiane Hansing, Christopher Rossbach, the Friends of the Warburg Institute, and generous anonymous donors.

We also extend our thanks to the artists and donors who supported the Institute’s charity auction of contemporary artwork, which was held in March 2022 and raised more than £170,000 towards the Warburg Renaissance. The auction, which was part of the Phillips 20th Century and Contemporary Art Day Sale, included works donated by artists such as Anselm Kiefer and Edmund de Waal. Our sincere thanks to Phillips for their support, as well as all those who donated works.

Anselm Kiefer, Der Morgenthau-Plan (The Morgenthau Plan), 2021

First image: Cross-section view of new courtyard lecture theatre and archive and special collections reading rooms. Second image: Anselm Kiefer, Der Morgenthau-Plan (The Morgenthau Plan), 2021.

Model of the new Warburg Institute by architects Haworth Tompkins.

“The Warburg Renaissance project will transform the Warburg Institute and make it secure, vibrant and accessible for future generations.”

Professor Bill Sherman (centre) with representatives from the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung at the Warburg Renaissance ground-breaking ceremony.

Architectural design of the new lecture rooms.

Breaking ground

On 13 July 2022, the Warburg celebrated the start of the building project with an official ‘ground breaking’ ceremony, attended by some of the project's key sponsors and supporters.

Those in attendance were particularly touched by the gift of a ceremonial spade adorned with the coats of arms of both London and Hamburg. This spade was given as a gift by the project’s lead donor, the Hamburg-based foundation Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, who donated £3million to the project. The Warburg Institute was founded in Hamburg by the pioneering historian Aby Warburg, and it was exiled to England in 1933, becoming the only institution saved from Nazi Germany to survive intact in Britain today. Therefore, the ceremonial spade served as a timely reminder, not just of the Institute’s shared history, but of the project’s promise to create a shared future.

The event was also an opportunity for guests to see the architectural model of the building, created by architects Haworth Tompkins. The project's contractors, Quinn London, also shared their plans for the first phase of construction.

Future plans

The £14.5million renovation of the Warburg Institute began in July 2022 and is scheduled to end in January 2024. We very much look forward to welcoming the Warburg’s community of students, staff, academics, alumni and visitors, who will benefit from this visionary transformation.

The Institute is now embarking on the next stage of its journey, raising funds for the people and places they will need to bring the building’s new spaces to life. A fundraising campaign will raise £1million to enhance the gallery
with curatorial staff, digital technology and support for visiting and resident artists. For further information, please contact:
development@london.ac.uk

Warburg Visionary Circle

The Warburg Institute has inaugurated a Visionary Circle of curatorial and creative leaders who will play a vital role to engage the Institute with contemporary culture. The Circle is a key component of the Warburg Renaissance and initiatives will include developing new opportunities for visiting and resident artists, advising on artistic commissions and acquisitions, and producing print and digital documentation.

As part of the Visionary Circle programming, the Warburg Institute welcomes Paterson-Zevi artist Tereza Červeňová as artist in residence during the building renovation. Tereza will use her unique approach to photography and photomontage to capture this important moment in the Institute’s history.

Visit the Visionary Circle webpage for more information and future events and initiatives.

Visit the Warburg Renaissance project website for the latest information.