The Institute

Founders of the institute included public authorities, companies and private organizations, as well as a range of private individuals. KIT is proud that many of its public and corporate founders continue to play an active role in its organization. Effectively, KIT can boast 100 years of experience as a public-private partnership.

The Colonial Institute was allowed to change its name to Royal Tropical Institute in 1949. The institute’s connection to the royal family was established in 1937 when HRH Prince Bernhard was appointed as patron of KIT. He was succeeded by HRH Prince Claus and then by HRH Princess Máxima – an uninterrupted royal connection spanning more than 60 years.

Today, KIT is an independent not-for-profit knowledge centre focusing on health, sustainable economic & social development, culture, and education & information. The Tropenmuseum, Tropenmuseum Junior, the Tropentheater, KIT Information & Library Services, KIT Intercultural Management & Communication, and KIT Publishers provide information to the general public in the Netherlands and abroad about living conditions and cultures all over the globe. They do so via exhibitions, collections, stage productions, books, maps and websites, and through training programmes, advice and consultation.

KIT operates in more than 60 countries in both the public and private sectors. Partners and clients, both at home and abroad, include national and multilateral public organizations, the business community, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. Less than 50 per cent of KIT’s annual turnover is funded through financing by the Dutch government under annual production agreements. KIT has some 400 employees and an increasing number of staff have a labour contract with the KIT affiliates in Holding KIT B.V.

KIT profile:

• A not-for-profit knowledge institute whose mission is to contribute to sustainable development, poverty reduction, cultural preservation and exchange.
• Integrated approaches reflecting diversity, long-term local ownership and governance.
• Worldwide partnerships with the flexibility to adapt to ever-changing environments.
• Continuous innovation through field experience and research, resulting in new applied solutions, capacity building, education, training and information services.
• A meeting place at home and abroad for experts and the curious from all over the globe.
• An effective interface between theory and practice, between policy and practice, between public and private, and between North and South.

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