: Camille; Category: Paris Attractions

Pompidou Centre

One of the most exceptional exhibitions of Modern Art in the world, the Pompidou Centre

For lovers of contemporary art or, those who simply enjoy allowing themselves to be surprised by the arts and their originality, the Pompidou Centre is the perfect place in which to discover modern art in all its different forms. The collection is spread across 7 levels, three of which are dedicated to the forum and two levels that are dedicated to one of the most ambitious museums of modern art in the world. The perpetual shifts and changes in art are displayed in a magnificent manner and the works that are exhibited inside have turned this into one of the most frequently visited places in Paris by both the locals and by tourists from all over the world.

The Pompidou Building

The building, much loved by President Pompidou, is unquestionably different from the other buildings that grace the Le Marais district of Paris. From outside, it looks like a tangle of columns, stairways, cages and coloured tubes which create a combination of unmistakeable shapes and colours; green for the water, blue for the sky, yellow for electricity and red for the stairways, lifts and elevators all of which is reminiscent of a tangle of electrical cables. This singular architectural work was designed in 1970 by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the two winners of the contest for its design. It was the first building in the world whose interior and exterior are interchangeable. In addition to this, it is considered to be symbolic of industrial and Hi-Tech architecture despite the fact that it consists mainly of components that have been made by hand.

General Information

Thanks to the "preferential queue," all those who have purchased their tickets on-line will be able to avoid the large queues at the entry and will be able to access the inside of the building quickly and easily. Once you have passed through the security controls, as you come into the large entrance hall, you will find the electronic ticket dispensers and the ticket office (in case you haven't already bought your tickets) as well as the stairs and lifts which will take you to the different levels. In order to move around the building with ease, you can also get a map of the building from the information desk which is situated in the main entrance.

The most famous Museum of Modern Art in Paris

The museum and its exhibitions are in a constant state of flux, a bit like contemporary art in general. The display of works on the 4th floor make it possible to trace the history of art from 1960 until the present day through more than 600 works by some 200 artists - and these are continuously being updated. All the major artistic movements are represented by works that range from plastic art to architecture, from design to photography and general works to multimedia. On the 5th floor, on the other hand, you will find works exhibited that represent the period covering 1905 to 1960. On this level, you will be able to see works by some of the great masters who laid the foundation stones of modern art. All the different artistic movements are represented from fauvism to cubism, abstract art to dadaism.

In addition to the museum…

In addition to the museum of modern art, you can also enjoy:

Views of central Paris from the panoramic terrace on the 6th level;
Visit the Public Information Library which contains more than 600 thousand documents;
Visit the cinemas and photographic collections (without charge) on the lower floor;
Have a break in different spots where you can sit down and give your feet a rest - for example, in the restaurant on the top floor from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the capital.