Strong room
As the Zentrum Paul Klee can only ever show a fraction of its collection comprising several thousand pages at any given time in the permanent exhibition, the preliminary project (still) provides for something of a strong room, a quadreria or study collection deep inside the Middle Hill.

The creation of a quadreria in the Zentrum Paul Klee will give visitors an insight into part of the vast deposited inventories. The exhibits in this room will be displayed in a compact presentation. As the works on display here are sheets that require special conservation, the word “strong room” has to be understood as denoting a place that offers special security as well as a place in which highly valuable assets are preserved.

Event space
The multipurpose music and event room will have all the necessary acoustic features to enable high-quality music performances as well as film screenings, seminars and lectures. The Zentrum Paul Klee will also be a venue for encounters and interdisciplinary communication.

Children’s Museum
The concept of a Children’s Museum is widely used in English-speaking countries. Children’s Museums are designed to impart educational knowledge to children aged 6 to 12 and their families. They offer visitors a broader range than the traditional teaching facilities normally found in museums. In a children’s museum, children learn by the stimulation to their senses and a personal encounter with the object. In this way, they acquire the knowledge that will eventually make them mature and frequent visitors to art and cultural establishments.

The notion of a “Children’s Museum” must not be understood too narrowly; we are, after all, dealing with the teaching of aesthetics, which is why people aged 4 to 88 are to be able to benefit from the special educational facilities.

By creating a special zone for children, the Zentrum Paul Klee is to be a pioneer among Children’s Museums in Switzerland. Children are to be given their own special zone inside the Zentrum Paul Klee; indeed Paul Klee set great store by the creative output and artistic work of children, and Paul Klee’s own work is itself readily accessible to children.

Generous space
Renzo Piano’s architectural project provides plenty of scope to enjoy art actively, space for the exciting mediation of knowledge and varied cultural events:

• Over 2,000 square metres of exhibition space.
• 1,200 square metres Museum Street as a vibrant communication zone.
• 600 square metres for the children’s museum.
• Event space for at least 300 visitors.