Enjoy the Silence: 40 years of the museum
21 April to 17 May 2026
Discover 40 years of the museum at SCHUNCK in Heerlen. From the Stadsgalerij (1986) to 2026, featuring collection displays and documentation in the Atrium and Art Depot.
Where
SCHUNCK Glaspaleis
Price
Toegankelijk met museumticket
In the Atrium, you can explore forty years of modern and contemporary art in Heerlen through documentation, publications, prints and a selection of works from the collection. From the early days of the Stadsgalerij in 1986 to the most recent exhibitions at SCHUNCK in 2025 and 2026.
Opening van de tentoonstelling van Kurt Schwitters in 1997 bij bij de Stadsgalerij, met bezoekers tijdens het officiële moment.
From Stadsgalerij to SCHUNCK
The Stadsgalerij opened in 1986 at Raadhuisplein, in a building designed by Jo Coenen. In 2003, the museum moved to the Glaspaleis. In 2009, the various institutions in the Glaspaleis merged under the name SCHUNCK.
Over forty years, Heerlen has developed a museum function that, through specific acquisitions and exhibition choices, has regularly attracted attention at both the national and international level.
Tentoonstelling van werk van Jan Elburg bij de Stadsgalerij (1999–2000), gefotografeerd door Anne Gold.
Exhibitions over the years
In recent decades, the museum has hosted exhibitions including:
Gustave Moreau (1991)
Gustave Asselbergs (1994)
Max Beckmann (1995)
Kurt Schwitters (1997)
Paul Drissen (2005)
Benoît Hermans & Hannah Höch (2006–2007)
Jan Roeland (2007)
Oscar Niemeyer (2009)
Stanley Donwood (2010)
John Cage (2010)
Niki de Saint Phalle (2011)
Mies van der Rohe (2016)
Jean-Michel Basquiat (2019)
Piet Oudolf & LOLA (2021)
Keith Haring (2022)
Andy Warhol (2024–2025)
Educatieproject Geometrische Abstractie in 1989 bij de Stadsgalerij waarbij twee deelnemers werken aan abstracte composities geïnspireerd op geometrische vormen.
Development of the Collection and Programme
Initially, Dutch painting formed an important foundation for the collection and exhibitions. As visual art evolved, other media and techniques also received attention, alongside the work of non-Dutch artists.
The museum has regularly focused on Aad de Haas, emerging talent from Limburg and beyond, national and international collaborations, and explorations beyond the visual arts.
It is a place where visitors can engage with the wider world and the perspectives of diverse artists, while also reflecting local aspects and trends.
What’s on View?
In the Atrium, SCHUNCK presents a selection of posters, publications and documentation from forty years of the museum, complemented by collection works from:
David van de Kop (1987)
Michel Huisman (1982)
Jacqueline Böse (1990)
Erszébet Baerveldt (1992)
Ingeborg Meulendijks (2000)
Koos Buster (2023–2024)
In the Art Depot, a selection of works from the 1980s and 1990s is on display, featuring artists who brought innovation to Dutch painting, alongside notable acquisitions from that period — including Karel Appel’s first work for the collection and works by Marlene Dumas and Luc Tuymans.