Stiftung Buchkunst: 60 Jahre Schöne Bücher

In 2026, the Stiftung Buchkunst celebrates its 60th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the foundation is exhibiting a selection of the ‘Most Beautiful German Books’ from six decades at the Museum Angewandte Kunst.

Since its founding in 1966, the Stiftung Buchkunst has honored outstanding examples of book design and production through its annual competition, Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher (The Best German Book Design). The anniversary exhibition offers a comprehensive insight into the evolution of book design and documents the cultural significance of the book as an aesthetic object. The museum will exhibit both historical and contemporary works, reflecting the diversity and innovation of the past 60 years.

An independent curatorial selection panel—comprising experts from book design, production, literature, art, non-fiction, and children’s and young adult literature—selected the exhibits from the foundation’s extensive archive in Frankfurt. This multifaceted selection highlights the ongoing engagement with aesthetic, social, and technological developments in book design.

Accompanying the exhibition, a program of panel discussions and talks will address both historical developments and forward-looking topics, such as the impact of digitalization and sustainable practices in book production.

With this exhibition, the Stiftung Buchkunst not only looks back on its own history but also provides a vital impetus for the future of book design and its cultural significance in the digital age.

The exhibition is supported by the City of Frankfurt am Main, World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, AsKI e.V., and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain.

The Stiftung Buchkunst is a foundation under civil law established in 1966 and based in Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig. It supports German book production with the aim of promoting the quality of books in terms of both technical and design aspects.