20 Years of Commitment to Art and Culture

In its role as sponsor of the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD), A. Lange & Söhne has been supporting the museum association since 2006. To mark the 20th anniversary, the Saxon watch manufacture is delighted to announce the extension of the partnership until 2031. The SKD's 15 museums — including the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault), the Gemäldegalerien Alte und Neue Meister (Old and New Masters Picture Galleries), and the Mathematisch-Physikalische Salon (Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments) — are considered some of the most important collections of their kind in the world.

A. Lange & Söhne has a particularly close relationship with the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments, dating back to the early days of Saxon precision watchmaking. With its masterfully crafted timepieces and scientific instruments, the royal collection became a source of inspiration for the young Ferdinand Adolph Lange around 1830. This hub of innovation fuelled his desire to build the finest watches in the world. When he founded his watch manufacture in Glashütte in 1845, he turned this dream into reality and established a tradition that A. Lange & Söhne continues to uphold and develop to this day.

Presentation of the first watch collection at Dresden Royal Palace

One of the most important milestones shared by the manufacture and the SKD is 24 October 1994: on this day, at the Dresden Royal Palace, the headquarters of the SKD, A. Lange & Söhne presented the first four wristwatches of its new era, including the LANGE 1. In 2006, the already close partnership was formally established with a written contract. The six-year restoration of the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments, sponsored by A. Lange & Söhne, and its reopening in 2013 gave new visibility to the aspiration to preserve the traditional connection between watchmaking and science as cultural heritage.

Education, promoting young talent and cultural mission

In 2015, the SKD special exhibition “Simple and Perfect. Saxony’s Path into the World of International Watchmaking” offered fascinating insights into the remarkable life’s work of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. With exhibits from the world of A. Lange & Söhne, some of which had never been shown before, and historical Lange pocket watches, the exhibition shed light on the early history of Saxon watchmaking and highlighted the shared cultural mission of the manufacture and the museum association. This is also reflected in the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments’ “Lernort” (learning centre). The funding project, which focuses on natural sciences, teaches young people about technical concepts in a visually appealing way and encourages curiosity and a spirit of inquiry – a cause to which A. Lange & Söhne is also particularly committed as a company that provides vocational training.

2026 exhibition projects: art in international dialogue

A. Lange & Söhne will continue to support the realisation of outstanding SKD projects throughout the 2026 exhibition year. In addition to the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments’ learning centre, this also includes the exhibitions “Paula Modersohn-Becker and Edvard Munch. The Big Questions of Life” from 8 February to 31 May 2026 at the Albertinum, and “Japan on Paper in Dresden. Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Modern Graphic Art” from 26 June to 20 September 2026 at the Kupferstich-Kabinett (Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs).

“For the past 20 years, A. Lange & Söhne and the SKD have enjoyed a close and vibrant partnership. We share an appreciation of the highest standards of craftsmanship, as well as a commitment to art and culture. Both institutions are dedicated to showcasing Saxon precision and a passion for excellence around the world. Against this backdrop, we are extremely grateful that this valuable collaboration will continue for another five years,” said Dr Bernd Ebert, Director General of the Dresden State Art Collections.

“Our partnership with the SKD is more than just about celebrating history and traditions,” emphasises Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne. “Rather, we believe it is important to make our shared cultural heritage accessible to future generations, as it offers us all inspiration and impetus in many ways. The SKD makes an outstanding contribution to this.”