The Center Pompidou
Center Pompidou, full name Center National d’art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou (Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture), is a complex building in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, in the Beaubourg district near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil. It was designed in the style of hi-tech architecture by the architectural team of Richard Rogers, Su Rogers, Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Franchini. It is named after the French president, Georges Pompidou, who was appointed under the museum’s management.
The Center Pompidou History, Architecture, Artifacts
Le Center Pompidou is a modern building in Paris that hosts a national modern art gallery, a library and other cultural performances and events.
In 1968, French president Charles de Gaulle first announced that Plato Beaubourg, near Les Halles and the Marais in the heart of Paris, would be the location of a new free public library. A year later, the new French President, Georges Pompidou, announced plans for the Beaubourg structure to include a contemporary art museum and that the new building would bear his name.
Architects from around the world were encouraged to submit designs for the new Center Georges Pompidou. Out of 680 designs submitted, the winning design came from Italian architect Renzo Piano, Italian-British architect Richard Rogers and British designer Su Rogers, who embraced the project with an innovative building that exemplifies high-tech modern architecture.
The building opened in 1977. Major renovations to the building began in 1997 and were completed in 2000. The Musée National d’Art Moderne has become one of the most popular art museums in France, and its permanent collection includes masterpieces and art collections by artists. As well as famous temporary exhibitions such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Wassily Kandinsky, Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse. Le Center Pompidou’s second outlet was opened in 2010 in Metz, France.
The Center Pompidou Interior
The Center Pompidou Architectural Structure, Interiors
Le Center Pompidou is a modern building in the Beaubourg district of Paris, France. This modern architectural landmark sits next to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame as one of the most recognizable buildings in Paris. The exterior of the building features a large, rectangular superstructure made of steel and glass. The side of the building is bisected diagonally by the “caterpillar”, which houses the escalators to transport visitors to each floor of the building.
The Pompidou Center’s structural, mechanical and air circulation systems are located on the exterior of the structure, earning it the title of an “inside-out” building. The building is most recognizable by the large tube called the “caterpillar” that cuts the building diagonally. Inside the building are a number of cultural attractions, including the galleries of the Musée National d’Art Moderne (the world’s largest modern art museum).
The Center Pompidou Interior 2
Notable Works of The Center Pompidou
Wassily Kandinsky « Mit dem schwarzen Bogen (Avec l’Arc noir) », 1912
Robert Delaunay « Manège de cochons », 1922
Otto Dix « Bildnis der Journalistin Sylvia von Harden (Portrait de la journaliste Sylvia von Harden) », 1926
Frida Kahlo « The Frame », 1938
Marc Chagall « Les mariés de la Tour Eiffel », 1938-1939
Henri Matisse « La Blouse roumaine », avril 1940
Piet Mondrian « New York City », 1942
Fernand Léger « Les Loisirs-Hommage à Louis David », 1948-1949
Joan Miró « Triptyque Bleu I, Bleu II, Bleu III », 1961
Yves Klein « SE 71, L’Arbre, grande éponge bleue », 1962
Martial Raysse « Made in Japan – La grande Odalisque », 1964
Jean Dubuffet « Le jardin d’hiver », 1968-1970
Where is The Center Pompidou, How to Get There, Directions, Visiting Hours, Entrance Fee
Place Georges-Pompidou 75004 Paris
Open every day except Tuesdays
Museums and exhibitions 11:00 – 21:00
Museums and exhibitions 14€
Metro Rambuteau 11, Hôtel de Ville 1, 11, Châtelet 1, 4, 7, 11, 14
Bus lines 29, 38, 47, 75