Centre Pompidou brings modern art, public reading, design, and music research together in a landmark cultural complex in Paris’s Beaubourg district. Its exposed structure made a flexible cultural institution visible to the city; the historic building is closed for renovation until its planned 2030 reopening.
Quick facts
Georges Pompidou’s 1969 project combined a modern art museum with public reading; design and music research also became part of the Centre’s program.
A jury chose Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, and Gianfranco Franchini’s design from 681 competition proposals in 1971.
The historic Centre Pompidou building closed to the public on 22 September 2025 for renovation, with reopening planned for 2030.
Get directions to Centre Pompidou. Confirm the visitor entrance and current access with the venue before travelling.
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Centre Pompidou begins with an unusual proposition: the route into a cultural institution could itself belong to the city. The building faces a broad piazza in the Beaubourg district, where people historically crossed, met, paused, or watched the escalator climb. The square was conceived as a link between street and institution, not simply a forecourt before a grand entrance.
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