Sponsors of the Neanderthal Museums

The Neanderthal Museum and its history would not have been possible without its sponsors. Funding for the construction of the museum building was made available by the NRW-Stiftung Natur-Heimat-Kultur, and it retains ownership of the building. The fitting out of the building was financed by RWE plc. The land was provided by the City of Mettmann, and the District of Mettmann took it upon itself to cover the costs of any operational shortfalls. Over the intervening years, other sponsors have become involved in supporting Neanderthal heritage. Kreissparkasse Düsseldorf, Landschaftsverband Rheinland, the City of Mettmann, and the City of Erkrath have joined the list of sponsors. We look forward to the involvement of future sponsors.

District of Mettmann

With its decision in 1988 to allow the District of Mettmann to join the proposed Neanderthal Museum Foundation, Mettmann District Council fulfilled a prerequisite for the Foundation's creation. This lay the organisational groundwork for further planning of the construction of a new museum befitting the significance of the world-renowned Neanderthals and their place of origin.

With the formal founding of the Foundation in 1992, the District of Mettmann and the Neanderthal Society, as founding members, were committed to the construction and operation of a museum. The construction and fitting out of the museum, which was opened in 1996, were completed with the generous support of sponsors and without financing from tax revenues. Although the majority of the museum's operational costs are covered by donations and ticket sales, the Neanderthal Museum is not yet at the point where it can cover all its costs without financial support from the District.

The goal of the District of Mettmann is to secure sufficient funding, through the attraction of further sponsors and donors, to ensure the long-term future of the museum as a cultural tourism drawcard of international standing.

The Neanderthal Museum & the NRW-Stiftung

At the request of the Friends of the Neanderthal Museum, the Nordrhein-Westfalen-Stiftung Naturschutz, Heimat- und Kulturpflege decided, at the beginning of the 1990s, to make approximately six million euros available for the construction of the Neanderthal Museum. The private law foundation is the owner of the building.

The foundation has since made further funds available for the restoration and landscaping of the discovery site, for the renovation and expansion of the old museum building to create the Stone Age Workshop, and for the modernisation of the permanent exhibition to mark the museum's 10^th anniversary. The foundation funds its spending through the sales of scratch-lottery tickets, as well as donations, and membership fees from the Friends of the Foundation group.

Stiftung HABRIS

The HABRIS Foundation is an independent, private, autonomous foundation under civil law based in Mettmann, which was established by the Mettmann business couple Hans and Brigitte Schmits in 1996. The foundation pursues charitable and various non-profit purposes, the realisation of which should essentially have a connection to the city of Mettmann and its citizens.

RWE

RWE is one of the leading energy concerns in Europe. Founded in 1898 with the goal of providing Essen and the Ruhr with electricity, RWE's core business remains the production and distribution of electricity and gas.

For RWE, corporate interests are inseparable from social responsibility. We see ourselves as not only a reliable energy provider, but as a company that is socially committed to the community and the region in which we work and live. Benefits at both community and society level are our chief concern in any project we sponsor.

In this light, the Neanderthal Museum is the ideal partner. Not only does it support education and culture, it also has a clear connection to the region.

In 1996 RWE provided ca. € 2.8 million toward the construction of the new Neanderthal Museum. A further € 250,000 was made available for the renovation and modernisation work which was carried out to mark the 150th anniversary of the Neanderthal discovery.

The Landschaftsverband-Rheinland – "Quality for people"

The Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR) (Rhineland Regional Authority) employs 14,000 people in service of the 10 million residents of the Rhineland region. With 39 schools, 9 clinics, 11 museums, and as one of the largest social welfare providers in Germany, the LVR fulfils responsibilities in the fields of social work, disabled and youth welfare, psychiatry, and the cultural sector throughout the Rhineland. The 14 independent cities and 13 districts in the Rhineland form the membership of the LVR. They support and finance the LVR, which is overseen by a council comprising ca. 100 members drawn from local authorities.

Kreissparkasse Düsseldorf

Art and culture are integral to our social development. They inspire creativity and foster open-mindedness in response to innovation and change. This is why the Kreissparkasse Düsseldorf sponsors exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural projects.