| Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden | |
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Dresden Castle |
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| Location | Dresden, Germany |
| Website | http://www.skd.museum |
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (English: Dresden State Art Collections) is a cultural institution in Dresden, Germany, owned by the State of Saxony. It belongs to the most renowned and oldest museum institutions in the world, originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in the 16th century .
Today, the Dresden State Art Collections consists of twelve museums. Most of them are located in the Dresden Castle, the Zwinger and the Albertinum.
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The museums belonging to the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden originated from the collections of the Saxon electors, several of whom were also Kings of Poland.[1] Historical sources show that August I, Elector of Saxony, founded the electoral Kunstkammer (literally “art chamber”) in 1560, a collection of art located in the Dresden Castle.[1] August the Strong and his son, August III, Kings of Poland, were important patrons and remarkable connoisseurs of the arts. They developed their art collections in a systematic fashion; in the process, they not only provided a foundation of extraordinary masterpieces for the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, but also made these works accessible to select circles in their own time.
The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen has been a state-owned enterprise since January 1, 2009.[2] The association includes twelve museums which operate independently within the context of their own collection, but all share various institutions and facilities as well as a central administration.
Twelve museums belong to the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Some collections are divided between different locations, such as the Green Vault and the Armory.
Further institutions, such as the Kunstbibliothek (Art Library), the Kunstfonds (Art Fund) and the Gerhard Richter Archiv (Gerhard Richter Archive) also belong to the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
The museums of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen are located in six buildings in Dresden.
Dresden Castle houses the Historic Green Vault (Historisches Grüne Gewölbe) and the New Green Vault (Neues Grüne Gewölbe), the Coin Cabinet (Münzkabinett), the Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs (Kupferstich-Kabinett) and the Turkish Chamber (Türckische Cammer).
The Zwinger palace contains the Old Masters Picture Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), the Porcelain Collection (Porzellansammlung), the Armory (Rüstkammer) and the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments (Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon).
The Albertinum hosts the New Masters Gallery (Galerie Neue Meister) and the Sculpture Collection (Skulpturensammlung).
Pillnitz Castle houses the Arts and Crafts Museum (Kunstgewerbemuseum) and the Japanisches Palais the Ethnographical Museum Dresden (Museum für Völkerkunde). The Saxon Folk Art Museum and Puppet Theatre Collection (Museum für Sächsische Volkskunst and Puppentheatersammlung) can be found in the Jägerhof in Dresden-Neustadt.
The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is owned by the State of Saxony. It is a member of the Konferenz Nationaler Kultureinrichtungen, a union of more than twenty cultural institutions in the former East Germany.
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