The Busch-Reisinger Museum is the only museum in America devoted to promoting the informed enjoyment and critical understanding of the arts of Central and Northern Europe, with a special emphasis on the German-speaking countries. Founded in 1901 as the Germanic Museum through the efforts of Kuno Francke, professor of German literature at Harvard, the Museum originally contained only reproductions, notably plaster casts of major Germanic, sculptural, and architectural monuments. Under the curatorship (1930-1968) of Charles L. Kuhn, the Museum developed into one of the leading collections of modern art from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and related cultures. The Museum was renamed the Busch-Reisinger Museum in 1950 in honor of the related St. Louis families which had contributed decisively to its support.
