Crowds were in the weekend (8-9/3) at the Pompidou Center, the largest Temple of Contemporary and Modern Art in Europe, which is expected to close its doors for five years to renovate. Entrance at the weekend was free, with workshops, artistic performances and DJ sets.
The Pompidou Center, which attracted more than 3 million visitors last year, is one of the most popular in the world, taking third place in Paris, behind only the Louvre (8 million) and the Orsé Museum (3.7 million). Its closure comes a few weeks after the announcement of large renovation projects in the Louvre.
The process of removing the museum’s permanent collection includes 2,000 projects. The works of Shangal, Giapeti and the countless other Pompidos treasures will be transferred to other places in Paris, as well as to museums in France and around the world.
Art enthusiasts can until 9pm Monday night (10/3) to take a last stroll in the permanent collection. However, Loren Le Bon, art historian and director of the museum, assured that those who lose the deadline will have many other opportunities to see Pompidos’ works. “We will take advantage of the time we have in the best possible way,” he said, describing the renovation “an unprecedented opportunity to reinvent the Pompidou Center”.
How much will the renovation of the Pompidos Center will cost
The renovation of the nearly 50 years of building, built in the heart of Paris by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, is expected to cost about 262 million euros and will require the full closure of the Center, including the huge library
The building, famous for its facade decorated with colorful pipes and air ducts, will undergo a complete renovation, upgrading its technology, accessibility and energy efficiency. The most crucial work is the removal of asbestos, which is located everywhere, from the museum ceilings to its pipes, a huge venture, so that even its full demolition had been proposed.
As soon as the renovation is completed, this cultural colossus, named after Georges Pompidou, the conservative president of France between 1969 and 1974, will reopen with a new exhibition space. Museum officials promise new spaces for children and young people, as well as an expanded library.
Some of the works will come out of the warehouses for an exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, which reopened last summer after a significant renovation.
