2025-03-13
On Monday, 10 March, the Pompidou Centre in the heart of Paris was bursting at the seams with visitors. However, this time the atmosphere was different – they had come to say goodbye to the permanent exhibition, which will not return to this iconic building until 2030. After the last temporary exhibition, scheduled for the autumn of 2025, the entire centre will be closed.
A plan to renovate the building, which dates back to 1977, was announced in 2023. The presence of asbestos and the need to modernise the centre were cited as the main reasons. During the renovation, the collection will be redesigned in a refreshed interior. The project is being carried out by an architectural firm led by Nicolas Moreau and Hiroko Kusunoki. Their concept is to integrate the different areas of the gallery.
However, this endeavour was met with protests from staff, the art circles and the local community, who argued that the renovation should have been divided into several phases. The institution on Plateau Beaubourg is not just a museum – it also houses a public library frequented by students, and its balconies provide a leisure space open to all. According to residents, the future of the entire area, including local businesses, is now in question.
Although the closure of the building will leave a void, the collections will be on display at several other institutions, including abroad, as part of the 'Constellation' project. In the spirit of the idea of cultural decentralisation, tens of thousands of pieces of art will be transferred to the Art Factory in Massy, near Paris, scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.