The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain will reopen its new space at 2 Place du Palais-Royal in Paris on October 25, 2025, during Paris Art Week. Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, the building—originally constructed for the 1855 Exposition Universelle and later a hotel, department store, and antiques center—has been transformed with a modular system of five movable platforms, a glass canopy, and transparent ground-floor windows to create an open, flexible exhibition environment. The inaugural show, titled “Exposition Générale,” features nearly 600 works by over 100 artists from the foundation’s history.
This reopening matters because it marks a major expansion and relocation for one of France’s most influential contemporary art institutions, established in 1984 by Alain Dominique Perrin. The new space, with a 40-year lease, positions the foundation directly across from the Louvre and near the Bourse de Commerce, reinforcing Paris’s cultural hub during Art Basel Paris. Nouvel’s design challenges traditional museum typologies by prioritizing adaptability and dialogue with the city, reflecting a broader shift toward dynamic, idea-driven exhibition spaces in the 21st century.