Senator (hon.) Manfred Bumiller began to collect treasures of Islamic art in 1980. His collecting interests were concentrated on the period of early Islam up to 1600. He started investing primarily in small pieces which were used in the past as objects of everyday life. He was intrigued by the uniqueness of these pieces. Bumiller was particularly interested in metal art objects, and this part of the collection may be said to be the largest in the world.
In 1995 the collection was moved to Bamberg to a large building acquired specially for the purpose in the immediate vicinity of the University of Bamberg, which has the only Chair in Islamic Art History and Archaeology in Germany.
In order to promote scholarly research on the collection and its use as a resource for educating students, Bumiller signed an agreement with the University of Bamberg in 2008, whereby the collection would belong to the university and obtain the status of a university museum. Manfred Bumiller was awarded the title of Honorary Senator of the University.
Today the Bumiller Collection is the University Museum of Islamic Art, with over 7,000 exhibits. It is located very close to the university, giving experts, professors and students easy access to the objects.
In June 2015 an additional building to house the Bumiller collection was inaugurated in the Kreuzberg neighborhood of Berlin. It displays the permanent exhibition “Highlights of the Bumiller Collection” as well as temporary exhibitions that include modern art. The Berlin branch is directed by Manfred Bumiller’s daughter Jill Bumiller. At present the Bumiller Art Foundation is headed by the companion of his life for many years, Gertrud Sackerlotzky.
You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "Collections of the Federal Republic of Germany" (volume XI) in the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections".
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.