Ode aan Pinkpop
Ode aan Pinkpop 18 September 2025 – 31 January 2026
Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof presents the exhibition Ode to Pinkpop from September 18, 2025, to January 31, 2026. With this photo exhibition, the Parkstad region honors the Netherlands’ most iconic festival with a special showcase in the heart of Heerlen. The exhibition takes place as part of the Year of Cultural Heritage.
Photo Exhibition
This exclusive exhibition offers not only iconic images from our collective memory but also a rare behind-the-scenes look at Europe’s oldest pop festival. Featuring never-before-seen material from the rich Pinkpop archive, the exhibition captures the soul of a festival deeply rooted in the DNA of the region. More than 100 photographs and several videos provide a colorful insight into the inner workings of the festival. In addition, several leading pop photographers, including William Rutten, Paul Bergen, and Marcel van Hoorn, highlight their favorite Pinkpop moments.
Cultural Heritage
Pinkpop is an annual ritual, a cultural phenomenon, and a social glue. For decades, young and old have gathered in the south of Limburg to experience music together. The exhibition shows not only iconic images of world stars on stage but also the seemingly small stories that have shaped Pinkpop into what it is today: festivalgoers at the campsite, children on the hill, and families for whom attending Pinkpop has become a tradition passed down through generations. Each photo radiates a sense of togetherness, freedom, and unforgettable musical moments. Ode to Pinkpop is a tribute to a festival that sparks conversations every year: about the line-up, the weather, the traffic jams—but above all, about the music and the magic. It is an ode to the sound drifting into living rooms through open garden doors, to the traffic jams when picking up friends, and to the endless stories that are told and retold. That is precisely why this exhibition fits so well within the Year of Cultural Heritage, organized in Heerlen in 2025.
Special Collaboration
The opportunity to highlight Pinkpop in a different way proved both inspiring and refreshing for both organizations. The museum’s intention is to reveal the story behind the festival through images.
A unique aspect of this project is the collaboration with VISTA College. Students from various study programs are involved in the realization of the exhibition. Their new photo and video work will be presented as part of the showcase, and they will also help organize several additional program elements surrounding the exhibition.
Practical Information
The exhibition can be visited at a special pop-up location at Promenade 39, in the center of Heerlen. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
School and group visits by appointment: info@fotomuseumaanhetvrijthof.nl
Entreeprijzen:
Volwassen € 7,00
Kinderen t/m 8 jaar Gratis
Jongeren 9 t/m 21 jaar € 4,50
Generatie ticket * € 10,00 (2 personen)
CJP alleen voor groepsbezoeken. € 6,00
De Museumkaart en VriendenLoterij VIP kaart zijn niet geldig.
* Generatie ticket, bezoekers duo van 2 verschillende leeftijden.