The original aim of the Association for the Advancement of Ballenberg, founded in Brienz in 1974, was to gain acceptance for the idea of an open-air museum in Switzerland and to actively support Ballenberg before, during and after its opening.
Since its foundation, the Association has donated over 4 million Swiss francs to the Open-Air Museum. The money has been used for many different purposes and projects which otherwise would not have been realised. Here are just a couple of recent examples: the expansion of the Ticino region in 2003 with a donation towards the acquisition of the house from Cugnasco; contributions towards furnishings, infrastructure, old handcrafts, silk worm culture, as well as research and documentation.


