If you love modern and contemporary art, you may be familiar with Paris’ iconic museum, the Centre Pompidou.
However, if you planned to visit, make sure you book the trip soon because in 2025, the building will close for five years to undergo a €262 million ($453 million)renovation.
The museum previously announced plans to shut but it was anticipated to happen in 2023 and be open in time for its 50th anniversary in 2027. Now, the closure will last for an additional year, five in total, and will not reopen until 2030.
For decades, the centre has educated and entertained visitors with galleries featuring around 120,000 pieces of art, a library, a restaurant and its famous exterior of colourful pipes and tubes.
Officials claim the planned repairs and construction work are crucial in ensuring the building can be around for decades to come.
France’s minister of culture, Rima Abdul Malak, said repairs and construction work would “perpetuate its survival” and ensure the building can be around for decades to come.
The closure was initially planned for September 2023 but has been pushed to 2025 so it can remain open while the city hosts the Summer Olympics in 2024.
The museum’s name (‘The Centre national d’art et de culture Georges-Pompidou’ in full) pays homage to the former French President Georges Pompidou, is centrally located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, a 15-minute walk from the Louvre museum and Notre-Dame cathedral.
Several million visitors a year pass through to see the art and catch some of the best views of the city.
After the renovation, visitors can better enjoy these views with a new 1500sq m terrace. Improvements to the infrastructure and technology will also enable the centre to cut its energy bill by 60 per cent - a promising goal considering the building is likely one of France’s most energy-consuming, according to the Centre Pompidou’s president, Laurent Le Bon.
