The iconic Centre Pompidou, home to one of the world's most important modern art collections alongside New York's MoMA, will close its doors this Monday for an ambitious five-year renovation project. The Parisian landmark, which welcomed five million visitors in 2024, will undergo extensive modernization including asbestos removal, accessibility improvements, security upgrades, and complete interior redesign before reopening in 2030.

The massive undertaking involves transforming all nine public levels of the 120,000-square-meter building, which have been gradually emptied in preparation for the closure. Works by major artists including Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Francis Bacon, and Marcel Duchamp have been relocated from the permanent collections, which previously displayed approximately 2,000 pieces from the museum's vast collection of 150,000 artworks. The public library, which daily served thousands of students and regular visitors, has temporarily moved to another location in the capital.

For its final day of operation, the Centre will remain open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., offering free admission to the last exhibition featuring contemporary German artist Wolfgang Tillmans, whose work spans photography, video, music, and publishing. Additionally, from October 22-25, the public will be invited to "a grand musical and artistic celebration" during Paris Contemporary Art Week, announced Centre Pompidou President Laurent Le Bon.

Originally inaugurated in 1977 and designed as a space "open to all" by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the Centre Pompidou revolutionized its era and attracted both French and international audiences. Also known as Beaubourg, the building now suffers from aging infrastructure, necessitating comprehensive renovation work including asbestos removal, improved accessibility, enhanced security measures, and complete interior redesign.

The renovation will also include better climate protection with new weatherproofing systems aimed at reducing energy costs by 40 percent, according to Le Bon. "We're keeping the exterior shell, but from the basement to the top floor, we're changing everything," he explained. The project's scope encompasses every aspect of the building's interior while preserving its iconic external appearance.

When visitors return to the "Centre Pompidou 2030," they will discover a completely transformed entrance featuring "an entirely new multidisciplinary forum of 10,000 square meters across two levels, bringing together performance halls, exhibition spaces, and cinema facilities, all interconnected," Le Bon detailed. A massive public terrace on the seventh floor will offer stunning panoramic views of Paris, providing visitors with an unprecedented vantage point over the city.

The Museum of Modern Art will feature new scenography and a reimagined visitor path that highlights the contributions of women artists while emphasizing contemporary social debates including ecology, urban relationships, and new technologies. Le Bon expressed his hope that "visitors will experience something like the same shock as when the Centre opened in 1977," referencing the building's original groundbreaking impact on the art world.

The renovation carries a total budget of 460 million euros, with 280 million funded by the French state. For the remaining 180 million euros, "100 million are already secured, and we are confident about finding the remaining 80 million over the next five years," the Beaubourg president specified. The Centre can rely on various funding sources including patronage, traveling exhibitions, and its international brand recognition.

The building will be "classified as a historical monument in 2026," which will provide access to the Ministry of Culture's expertise for renovation work and protect this architectural icon by preventing future modifications that could compromise the original designers' vision, Le Bon explained. This classification ensures the preservation of the building's revolutionary architectural integrity for future generations.

During the closure period, the Centre's collections will be exhibited both in France and internationally. Following the current "Niki de Saint-Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hulten" exhibition at the Grand Palais, a major Matisse exhibition is scheduled for spring 2026. The Centre Pompidou can also count on its international partnerships, particularly with Saudi Arabia, which is contributing 50 million euros to the renovation project.

Concurrently with the main renovation, construction has begun on a new artwork storage facility in Massy, Essonne, which will also serve as an exhibition space and cultural center open to the public. This additional facility is expected to be inaugurated by the end of 2026, providing expanded capacity for the Centre's growing collection and enhanced public access to stored artworks.