Warburg Institute’s future is in court’s hands

The future of the Warburg Institute, part of the University of London, will be determined by a legal ruling in the next few months. The institute, which covers the cultural history of the Renaissance, was set up by Aby Warburg in Hamburg in 1921, with an important library, and moved to London in 1934. There have been growing tensions between the university and the institute’s advisory council over the terms under which the university assumed responsibility—broadly, the Warburg wants greater independence and financial security. The court hearing concluded on 20 June.