Centre Pompidou Paris – A Modern Art Icon Under Transformation

At first glance, it looks inside out. That's the point. The Centre Pompidou Paris flipped architectural norms on their head with pipes, ducts, and escalators on full display. Since 1977, it's been a vibrant hub of modern and contemporary art, home to Europe's largest collection of its kind.

But if you haven't yet visited, take note: the Centre Pompidou is closing for major renovations from 2025 to 2030. The five-year hiatus will allow for essential upgrades to its aging structure. In the meantime, the museum's collection will travel, popping up in temporary exhibitions around Paris and beyond.

The Greatest Modern Artists in One Place

Centre Pompidou & Place Georges Pompidou at night

Centre Pompidou is the place to see the works of David Hockney, Picasso, Klee, Philippe Starck, Andy Warhol and other great modern artists and designers. You'll also see hundreds of intriguing works by artists you've probably never heard of. In busy Place Georges Pompidou just outside the museum, you find street artists, mimes, jugglers, budding artists and musicians. Don't miss the famous Stravinsky Fountain, a whimsical water-spraying sculpture inspired by the musical works of Igor Stravinsky, next to all the outdoor cafés.

Today Centre Pompidou holds over 60,000 works by surrealists, cubists, pop artists and other artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum is noted for leading-edge exhibits featuring some of the masters of modern art and for its presentation of the works of lesser-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Georges Pompidou & His Centre

A graphic of Georges Pompidou himself overlooks the museum

The kings, emperors, and presidents of France have always had a penchant for creating grandiose monuments in Paris as memorials to their period of rule. That's where Paris got all those grand plazas, gardens, palaces, and arches. The man who was both prime minister and president of France from 1962 to 1974 was no exception to this royal way of thinking.

The Pompidou Center was the brainchild of French President Georges Pompidou who envisioned a modern arts and cultural museum in the heart of Paris. Its unusual design with the radical "plumbing on the outside" was controversial when it first opened in 1977. Also controversial was the decision to raze blocks of buildings in the historic heart of the Marais to make room for the museum.

Work by David Hockney at The Pompidou

The museum's construction and design controversies didn't end with its opening. After only thirty years the building was suffering from mechanical and design flaws. So, in the late 1990s, it was closed for major renovation work that cost at least as much as the original construction and took about five years to complete. And now, only 20 years later, another renovation is underway.

Inside the Collection

Manège de cochons (detail) by Robert Delaunay, photo Wikimedia

What Makes the Pompidou a Powerhouse

The Centre Pompidou Paris holds the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe — a staggering archive of more than 120,000 works. It's a who's who of the avant-garde, with masterpieces from nearly every major movement of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Picasso? Plenty. Kandinsky, Matisse, Miró, Mondrian? All present and accounted for. The museum's holdings span Cubism, Surrealism, Dada, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and everything in between. Marcel Duchamp's iconic Fountain (yes, the urinal) is here, as is Brâncusi's sleek Sleeping Muse. The Pompidou doesn't just collect; it defines.

There's a strong showing of French powerhouses as well — including Yves Klein's eye-popping monochromes, Jean Dubuffet's textured anti-art, and Niki de Saint Phalle's exuberant sculptures. You'll also find seminal works by international legends like Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, and Mark Rothko.

One of the joys of the museum is its rotating "hang" — the curators loved to reframe the collection every few years, grouping pieces thematically or experimentally. You might have found Kandinsky alongside a film by Man Ray, or Basquiat echoing a bold new video installation from Korea. It kept things fresh, surprising, and frequently weird (in a good way).

Beyond paintings and sculpture, the Centre Pompidou Paris also housed one of the world's top design collections, with pieces ranging from Eileen Gray furniture to early Apple computers. Its video, photography, and new media holdings are among the richest anywhere, often featuring immersive, sensory-overload installations.

While the Centre Pompidou Paris Sleeps

Centre Pompidou dominates the Marais skyline, photo Centre Pompidou

The Centre Pompidou Paris has gone dark — at least for now. As of 2025, the museum is closed for a sweeping five-year renovation, with plans to reopen in 2030. You can still visit the building's striking exterior in the 4th Arrondissement, just steps from Metro Rambuteau or Hotel de Ville. It remains an unmissable sight — all exposed pipes, industrial bravado, and architectural swagger in the middle of the Marais.

Although the art is taking a sabbatical, the Centre Pompidou's spirit isn't dormant. Temporary exhibitions drawn from its collection will appear across France, including in Paris, Metz, and even internationally. Check the official website for updates on traveling shows — and, if you're nearby, the rooftop cafe Georges may still be open for a drink with a view.

Centre Pompidou Resources

• The Pompidou will be closed for another massive renovation between 2025 and 2030
• Over 1,100,000 square feet
• Cost almost one billion French francs to build (and about that much to renovate 20 years later!)
• Museum Website…