Teylers Stichting

The Teylers Stichting (English: Teylers Foundation) is a Dutch foundation founded with the heritage of the Dutch 18th century cloth merchant and banker Pieter Teyler van der Hulst to support the people in need and encourage worship, science and art (ter ondersteuning van behoeftigen en ter aanmoediging van godsdienst, wetenschap).

When Teyler deceased in 1778, he was without children or direct family, and specified in his testament how his money was to be spent. He left money for several individuals, the church and the general benefit as described above. Claims have been made by alleged family members that the testament was supposed to be limited in time to 100 years, after which the remaining money were to be transferred to the Teylers family. No claims of such have been recognized in court.

The Stichting was founded by five friends of Teylers, who were his executors and the first directors. The first replacing director (board member) of the Teylers Stichting was Adriaan van Zeebergh, the pensionaris of the city of Haarlem, a powerful civil servant position at the time. He replaced Barnaart, who died in 1780.

The foundation is governed by five directors, which are appointed via Co-option. The first directors were five of Teylers friends:

The directors traditionally meet in the "Grote Herenkamer" (Large Boardroom) at the Teylers Fundatiehuis (English: Foundation House), a room adjacent to the Oval Room of Teylers Museum. The current (2008) directors are:

The Teylers Stichting was responsible for the Teylers Museum, the Teylers Hofje and two societies: the Teylers Eerste Genootschap (Teylers First Society) which focuses on theological questions and the Teylers Tweede Genootschap (Teylers Second Society) which focuses on scientific questions. The Stichting is also responsible for the Teylers Chair at Leiden University. The actual management of the museum was left to a kastelein and later the museum director (not to confuse with the directors of the foundation).

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