SCHUNCK Museum

About the museum

SCHUNCK Museum is Heerlen's museum for modern and contemporary art and architecture. Its roots lie in the municipal collection of the Stadsgalerij Heerlen, which opened in the town hall in 1986 and moved into the Glaspaleis in 2003. In 2009 the various institutions in the building came together under the name SCHUNCK. Today the cultural center also includes a public library and a music and dance school.

The Glaspaleis (Glass Palace) was built in 1933–1935 to designs by Frits Peutz, commissioned by the entrepreneur Peter Schunck as a fashion and department store, and quickly got its name because of its height and large glass surfaces. After the department store moved out in 1964 and the mining region declined, it stood empty for a time and was to be demolished. In 1995 the city decided on a renovation, carried out by Wiel Arets Architects and Jo Coenen. In 2022/2023 the Kunstdepot (art depot) and the Atrium were added as an extension, enlarging the exhibition space by about half.

The museum has no permanent collection display. Instead it alternates exhibitions, projects and activities in the museum hall, the atrium and the art depot. Works from its own collection, which documents modern and avant-garde currents of the mining era, are shown regularly. Several rooms, such as the Vitrine, Vide, the staircase and the Aad-de-Haas-Saal, are freely accessible.

Highlights

• Glaspaleis by Frits Peutz (1935), an icon of modernism
• Museum hall and atrium with changing exhibitions
• Kunstdepot: freely accessible display depot with works from the collection
• Several free rooms such as the Vitrine, Vide, staircase and Aad-de-Haas-Saal
• Architecture tours of the Glaspaleis and city walks through Heerlen
• Café Bagels & Beans and Brasserie Mijn Streek in the building

Permanent exhibition

• SCHUNCK Kunstdepot – In three rooms the display depot shows a constantly changing selection from the collection; admission is free.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Stichting SCHUNCK

Admission & discounts

Prices apply to the museum hall and the atrium. Free with the Museumkaart and the VriendenLoterij VIP card (max. 1 person per card). Free access to, among others, the Vitrine, Vide, exhibition space (+1), art depot, staircase and Aad-de-Haas-Saal. Payment by card only (no cash). Separate prices may apply to individual exhibitions (see the agenda).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Glaspaleis is fully wheelchair-accessible: wide glass sliding doors at the west entrance, a second wheelchair- and stroller-friendly entrance at Pancratiusplein, large glass elevators to all floors, a second elevator to the information desk, and a stair lift to the Café Bagels & Beans. Two accessible toilets on the first floor; benches and portable museum stools on every floor.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly

Children and young people under 18 enter free. A museum bag with questions and tasks is available free at the front desk; the discovery tour "Op pad met Kat" with a booklet is for children aged 6 and up accompanied by an adult. Family tours can be booked on request.

Getting there & parking

Satnav address: Bongerd 18, 6411 JM Heerlen. The main entrance is on the Bongerd; a wheelchair- and stroller-friendly entrance is at Pancratiusplein. Supervised bicycle parking at Akerstraat 20; an OV-fiets (public transport bicycle) can be rented.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Coat check
• Lockers

Café Bagels & Beans and Brasserie Mijn Streek are in the building. There are lockers and coat hooks; jackets, large bags (larger than A4) and umbrellas are not allowed in the museum.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 425 guests.

For meetings and events, rooms are available from Kamer 3 (12 people) through the Auditorium (100 people) and the Centrale Hal (300 people) to level 1 (425 people); catering is possible.

Plan your visit