The Centre Pompidou in Paris, which houses the world's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, closed its doors earlier this week for extensive renovations that will last five years. The museum's final day was marked by emotional farewells from visitors and concerns about the cultural void left by this unique institution.
Inaugurated in 1977 and designed as a space "open to all" by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the Centre Pompidou was conceived with the mission of welcoming all forms of culture. Also known as Beaubourg, the museum revolutionized its era and attracted an international audience. However, the building has suffered from age-related deterioration, necessitating major renovation work including asbestos removal, improved accessibility, enhanced security measures, and complete interior redesign.
Emotion was palpable at Beaubourg on September 22, the last day of operation before five years of silence. "It's a very generous place where we have seen many things," one visitor shared. "I regret not having taken more advantage of it. I confess I have a little interior tear." The closure has raised concerns throughout the surrounding neighborhood about the impact on the local cultural landscape.
The final exhibition was a massive retrospective of German photographer and visual artist Wolfgang Tillmans, who was present at the Centre Pompidou for its closing day. His exhibition, titled "Nothing Prepared Us for This – Everything Prepared Us for This," aimed to provoke reflection on a world where nothing is guaranteed. Visitors particularly feared losing the Beaubourg spirit of accessibility – all arts for all audiences. "Having a membership card, I often came spontaneously. I had very good surprises," noted another visitor.
The monument, which welcomed five million visitors in 2024, spans nine levels accessible to the public via escalators. In the floors already closed to the public, permanent exhibition halls now stand empty, some plunged into darkness. Stepladders and construction vacuums now dot what was the world's most important modern art museum, alongside New York's MoMA.
To undergo this major renovation, the museum had to relocate no fewer than 120,000 artworks, including sometimes monumental pieces like André Breton's Studio Wall, which was carefully crated several months ago. A technical team catalogued the condition of each element on-site and restored them as needed. Three days after the Centre Pompidou's closure, the plaza outside remains deserted.
The Breton Wall has found new life at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, where the artwork has just been reassembled. The father of surrealism created this composition over 40 years. "The Breton Wall consists of 255 individual objects, each with its own particularity," explains Anne Horvath, curator of the exhibition "An Endless Sunday" at Centre Pompidou-Metz. "It's a whole diversity of objects and materials that must be cared for simultaneously while guaranteeing optimal conditions for presentation and conservation."
The closure of Beaubourg marks the end of an era in Paris but signals the beginning of a new chapter in Metz. From October 22 to 25, the Centre Pompidou will reopen exceptionally for three days of celebration, featuring performances by Christine and the Queens, Catherine Ringer, Selah Sue, and a daytime fireworks display.
