The Centre Pompidou in Paris will close on September 22 for five years of renovation work, leaving the Paris art scene without one of its major institutions. Before closing, visitors have three more days to see the photography exhibition “Wolfgang Tillmans: Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us,” which occupies 65,580 square feet in the Bibliothèque Publique d’Information. During the closure, the Pompidou will continue its “Constellation” program, dispersing collection holdings to partner institutions including Centre Pompidou-Metz, West Bund Museum in Shanghai, H’ART Museum in Amsterdam, the Grand Palais, and the future Centre Pompidou Francilien.
The renovation, awarded to the Moreau Kusunoki agency in collaboration with Frida Escobedo Studio, includes asbestos removal from the iconic facade designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, corrosion protection, energy optimization, accessibility improvements, and cultural reconfigurations such as rethinking collection display and the library layout. This closure matters because the Centre Pompidou is a crown jewel of the Paris art scene and a globally influential modern and contemporary art museum; its five-year hiatus will reshape the cultural landscape of Paris and test the resilience of its satellite and partner institutions.