Amerikahaus in the summer © Leonhard Simon

About Us

Amerikahaus in the summer © Leonhard Simon
Auditorium at Amerikahaus © Leonhard Simon
Karolinensaal at Amerikahaus © Leonhard Simon
Information center at Amerikahaus © Leonhard Simon

The main task of the Stiftung Bayerisches Amerikahaus gGmbh – Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations (Amerikahaus Munich) is to inform the public, especially younger generations, about the importance of the transatlantic relations between Bavaria and North America. It does so by offering a wide range of cultural events and services, such as book presentations and exhibitions, theater performances and concerts, lectures and discussions, conferences, and workshops. Furthermore, it is an academic network center and platform for transatlantic activities of the Free State of Bavaria.

The Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations is a non-profit limited company and the largest institution concerned with transatlantic relations in Germany, and its central role as such is constantly confirmed by financial support by the State of Bavaria, the US government, major Bavarian companies, and private donations as well.

Our program concerning culture and society reaches all generations by offering book presentations and exhibitions, theater performances and concerts, lectures, and discussions.

The Research Center's (former library) large variety of books, magazines, and online databases is of great use to high school and university students, and it also provides interested individuals of the general public with information about North America.

The department of Education and Exchange advises young people who want to go abroad to the USA or Canada. Our presentations at universities throughout Bavaria are often the first inspiration for students to start looking into possibilities of going abroad.

Teachers and students can take advantage of our program through advanced training, teaching materials, and more.

The objective of the Bavarian American Academy (BAA) is to support research on or related to the USA and to enhance the interaction between science and culture, society, and economy.
Although the primary focus of the Academy‘s activities is the USA, in the context of interdisciplinary and interregional studies it also supports research on Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Supporters of our institution are organized in the “Amerikahaus Verein e.V.” (Amerikahaus Association Munich), a major contributor to our work.


Photo: View of the Amerikahaus © Leonhard Simon

Director Dr. Meike Zwingenberger

Organizing Institution

Since January 1, 2014, the Stiftung Bayerisches Amerikahaus gGmbH - Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations is the organzing institution of the Amerikahaus Munich. Chief executive officer is Dr. Meike Zwingenberger.

View of the Amerikahaus

Board of Advisors

Important institutions and companies in Bavaria that are active in the transatlantic context are associated with the Amerikahaus and are represented on the Advisory Board of the Amerikahaus together with members of the state parliament from various parliamentary groups. The appointment of members is determined by the bylaws of the non-profit limited company’s board of advisors: “Elected” members are appointed during the shareholders’ meeting of the of the Stiftung Bayerisches Amerikahaus gGmbH – Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations. For ex officio members, appointment to the non-profit’s board of advisors  by the Bavarian State Parliament and the U.S. Consulate General is sufficient.

Ex officio members of the Bavarian State Parliament serve on the board of advisors in numbers per the proportional party representation in the Bavarian State Parliament.

These are the members of the Amerikahaus Board of Advisors:

Robert Brannekämper (MdL – CSU party), Alex Dorow (MdL - CSU party), Prof. Dr. Andreas Falke (Director German-American Institute, Nuremberg, e.V.), Volker Leinweber (vbw – Bavarian Industry Association e.V.), Felix Locke (MdL - Freie Wähler party), Benjamin Nolte (MdL - AfD party), Antonia Heigl (Director Amerikahaus Association e.V.), Timothy Liston (U.S. Consul General, Munich), Lena Odell (City Councilor, SPD/Volt party), Florian Siekmann (MdL - Bündnis 90/DIE GRÜNEN party), Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinrich Oberreuter (Hochschule für Politik), Prof. Dr. Heike Paul (Director Bavarian American Academy), Manfred Rauhmeier (acatech - National Academy of Science and Engineering), Prof. Dr. Kai C. Andrejewski (American Chamber of Commerce)

The Free State of Bavaria is the sole shareholder of the Stiftung Bayerisches Amerikahaus gGmbH – Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations.