Afbeelding van een deel van de vitrine van SCHUNCK. In de vitrine staat een hoog paneel met daarop een zwart-wit afbeelding van Andy Warhol met een lipstick in zijn hand.

Visitor record for SCHUNCK Museum with Warhol exhibition

Andy Warhol: Vanitas, the exhibition that focused on the theme of transience at SCHUNCK Museum from autumn 2024 until March this year, has broken a record. Over 30,000 visitors came to the Glaspaleis – the highest number ever for a museum exhibition. With that, Vanitas became both an artistic and regional success story.

Warhol in Parkstad: art connects with the region

The exhibition attracted a wide audience. 26% of visitors came from Limburg, 66% from the rest of the Netherlands, and 8% from abroad. Education also played a major role: more than 5,000 students from 48 educational institutions in Heerlen, Parkstad and the surrounding region visited the exhibition – from primary schools to vocational colleges and universities. For many pupils, the visit was more than just looking: they joined guided tours, received tailor-made learning materials, or worked creatively with the themes of the exhibition.

Een aantal ouders en hun kinderen staan in de museumzaal voor een aantal kunstwerken van Andy Warhol. De rondleidster vertelt hen een en ander over de werken waar zij naar kijken.

Warhol lives in the city

The exhibition extended beyond the museum walls. In collaboration with partners including Filmhuis de Spiegel, Nieuwe Nor, Vista College, Sevagram, Toon Hermans Huis, and Parkstad Limburg Theaters, a citywide programme was developed. Bettie Serveert paid tribute to the 1980s with a special Warhol concert at Nieuwe Nor. At Cultuurhuis Heerlen, in cooperation with Toon Hermans Huis Parkstad, a special edition of the Warhol Café was held: an afternoon dedicated to transience, featuring dance and a lecture by grief expert Manu Keirse. In addition, the Tears Factory opened its doors at Geleenstraat 40 – a creative hub inspired by Warhol’s legendary Factory, where fashion, art and music came together in workshops and masterclasses.

Bezoekers in rolstoelen luisteren naar rondleider in het museum tijdens Andy Warhol Vanitas.

Cultural experience with impact

Warhol not only brought visitors to the museum, but also into the city. “Visitors turned their museum visit into a day out in Heerlen,” says director Kor Bonnema. “They lingered, went shopping, or had something to eat together.” Research shows that the exhibition generated an economic spin-off of €1.4 million for the city.

International recognition

Artistic director Fabian de Kloe: “With Andy Warhol: Vanitas, we were able to tell a more personal story about Andy Warhol. Vanitas was embraced on a cultural and educational level through collaborations with various partners. What’s also remarkable is that the exhibition – including the pieces from the Rijksmuseum – will, to our surprise, be on view at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh starting October 2025. The story isn’t over yet.”

More Warhol to come

Although the exhibition has officially ended, its energy still lives on. This past weekend saw the opening of the final exam exhibition We & Warhol, showcasing work by students from Bernardinuscollege and Sintermeertencollege. And from 16 to 18 April, Sevagram will present the results of a special collaboration between residents, caregivers and staff in the Glaspaleis – all inspired by their visit to Vanitas.

Partners, funders and sponsors

The exhibition Andy Warhol: Vanitas would not have been possible without the support of its partners, funders and sponsors. Many thanks to: Gemeente Heerlen, Ondernemersfonds Heerlen, Provincie Limburg, Blockbusterfonds XTRA, Cultuurfonds, Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, Fonds21, Mondriaanfonds, Rijksdienst Cultureel Erfgoed, Rosas Donamus, Wiertz, VSBFonds, De Haan / Mosa Beveiliging, Xtern IT, Hizkia, Damsté, Limbourg & Partners Maastricht, Banenrijk Limburg, and Glashandel van Ooyen.