ECB opens Visitor Centre

• Centre aims to increase understanding of ECB’s mission
• Visitors can learn more about the ECB’s tasks and the way it operates in an interactive way
• Will triple visitor numbers to ECB and is a mark of commitment to openness and transparency

The European Central Bank (ECB) today inaugurates its Visitor Centre. The new space at its headquarters in Frankfurt allows the institution to invite citizens from Europe and beyond to learn more about the ECB, its tasks and mission.

“The ECB Visitor Centre gives us a physical space where the public can learn more about the activities of the ECB and how they impact on the daily life of people and businesses,” said Mario Draghi, President of the ECB.

The Visitor Centre is divided into four main sections, with the euro serving as the uniting theme. The first section, Maintain, looks at how the ECB maintains price stability. The second section, Safeguard, focuses on the ECB’s role in promoting financial stability and supervising banks. The third section, Connect, highlights the ECB’s tasks in developing payment systems and supplying euro banknotes. A fourth section, Achieve, offers a broader European perspective, highlighting Europe’s achievements.

The development and creation of the Visitor Centre took just over two years (from spring 2015 to summer 2017) and its total cost amounted to €5.4 million. The Visitor Centre is expected to welcome 40,000 visitors per year, tripling the ECB’s capacity for visitor groups.

For media queries, please contact Eva Taylor, tel.: +49 69 1344 7162.

Notes

• Images of the Visitor Centre are available on the ECB’s Flickr page