The Galerie Beyeler has its origins in an antiquarian book shop in Basel where the Ernst Beyeler (b. 1921) worked while attending school. When proprietor Oscar Schloss died in 1945, Beyeler took over the shop and shortly thereafter began to stage exhibitions. By 1951 the antiquarian book portion of the business was closed and the gallery devoted entirely to art. The private collection of Ernst Beyeler and his wife is exhibited at a museum designed by Renzo Piano on the outskirts of Basel.