An extraordinary art exhibition featuring works by renowned artists including Banksy, Brueghel, and van Dyck has broken visitor records at the Drostei cultural center in Pinneberg, Germany. The exhibition, titled "From Brueghel to Banksy - 200 Years of the Boetticher Collection," has attracted an unprecedented 3,500 visitors in just six weeks, prompting organizers to extend the show beyond its original closing date.
The private collection belongs to the prominent couple Christian and Sarah von Boetticher, who have opened their treasures to the public for the first time. The exhibition showcases masterpieces typically found only in major metropolitan museums, bringing world-class art to the small German town of Pinneberg. Due to overwhelming public interest, the exhibition has been extended from its original November 9 closing date to November 16.
"If things go really well, we usually have between 1,000 and 1,600 visitors over six weeks. This is really something special," said Stefanie Fricke, artistic director of the Drostei. The success has exceeded all expectations, with both Fricke and the collector couple expressing pride in the tremendous response to the collection.
Fricke revealed that she would have preferred to extend the exhibition even longer, potentially through Christmas, as she believes the visitor enthusiasm would continue. However, logistical constraints prevented a longer extension. "We were limited by the Drostei Market," she explained, referring to the traditional Christmas market scheduled to begin November 29. The dismantling of such a valuable art exhibition requires approximately one week, during which specialized companies must carefully remove, inspect for damage, pack, and transport all the precious artworks.
The exhibition has drawn visitors from across Europe and beyond. International guests have traveled from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands specifically to view the collection. One visitor made the journey from Karlsruhe on the very first weekend. Many Hamburg residents, who had never previously visited Pinneberg, have been particularly impressed by both the art and the historic Drostei building itself.
"For art lovers from Hamburg, Pinneberg has been a blank spot on the map until now," Fricke noted. "Many have promised to stay informed about our future events. If just five to ten percent of these visitors continue to follow our exhibitions, that would be a huge success." The substantial additional costs incurred by the Drostei for enhanced security measures and increased insurance coverage have already been justified by the promotional value alone.
Fricke attributes the exhibition's remarkable success to several factors: the fame of the featured artists, the prominence of Christian von Boetticher as a long-time politician, and extensive media coverage. The combination has created unprecedented interest in bringing world-renowned art to a smaller German community.
The final week of the exhibition will feature two special events. On November 9, the von Boetticher couple will personally guide visitors through their collection from 2:00 to 3:30 PM, with tickets priced at ten euros and available through online booking or by phone. The exhibition's closing day, November 16, will host a special family afternoon from 2:00 to 5:00 PM designed for families with children ages four and up.
During the family event, curator and art historian Sarah von Boetticher will take children on a discovery journey through the exhibition. Simultaneously, young visitors can participate in various activities in the garden halls, including puzzling together reproductions of works from the exhibition, painting, creating buttons with their own or provided designs, and solving an art-themed mystery game. Children receive free admission while adults pay four euros, with all proceeds benefiting the Pinneberg Children's Association.
With hopes of reaching 5,000 total visitors by the exhibition's end, Fricke anticipates the additional week will push attendance past this milestone. The exhibition remains open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with regular admission priced at four euros and reduced tickets at two euros. This unprecedented cultural event has successfully put Pinneberg on the map for art enthusiasts and demonstrated the power of bringing world-class exhibitions to smaller communities.
