Koenig nature museum prepares for Leibnitz membership

The prestigious research museum Koenig, in Bonn, could be turned into a foundation to permit it membership in the Leibnitz Association of research institutes, the North Rhine-Westphalian government said.

At present the museum, which houses one of Germany’s largest research collections, is run by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. However, only institutions independent from government can become Leibnitz members. North Rhine-Westphalia’s government said on 30 August that it would develop a proposal to turn the museum into a foundation in order to keep its employees, all civil servants, but create the necessary independence.