Purpose of the foundation

1. to document the history of the monetary system with a special focus on the history of currency
2. and its socio-cultural and social aspects
3. to familiarize a broad public at home and abroad
4. to support and promote national and international research and scholarship in this field.

The Sunflower Foundation was established in 1999 by Jürg Conzett after he had built up an important coin collection. The aim of the foundation is to make the history of money accessible to a wide audience. This led to the establishment of the MoneyMuseum in 1999, which initially started as an online platform and later opened physical exhibition rooms in Zurich.

In the years that followed, the foundation developed numerous initiatives:

2000-2010: development of the MoneyMuseum, first publications, Radio MoneyMuseum, special exhibitions, digital media offerings and exchange projects.

2011-2020: Expansion to include platforms such as MoneyForum and MoneyLab, promotion of alternative economic models and discussions on blockchain and digital currencies.

2021-2025: Stronger academic collaboration (e.g. with Cusanus University), ChinaForum discussions and a more intensive examination of alternative monetary concepts.

The foundation is still involved in economic education, monetary theory, digitalization and social alternatives to the existing economic system.

The common thread running through the history of the Sunflower Foundation is the critical examination of money - not just as an economic phenomenon, but as a cultural, historical and social force. From the very beginning, the foundation aimed to make knowledge about money accessible not only to experts, but also to a broad public. In doing so, it relied on various media, platforms and methods.