Le Centre Pompidou inaugurera début juin son antenne sud-coréenne dans un ancien aquarium de Séoul
The Centre Pompidou has announced the official opening date for its new South Korean satellite, the Centre Pompidou Hanwha, scheduled for June 4, 2026. Located in a former aquarium within Seoul’s financial district, the 11,000-square-meter space was redesigned by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and will launch with a major cubism exhibition featuring 90 works by masters such as Picasso and Braque. The inauguration was recently marked by a site visit from French President Emmanuel Macron and key cultural officials.
This expansion is a strategic move for the Parisian institution as its main building prepares for a multi-year closure for renovations. By partnering with the Hanwha Foundation of Culture, the Pompidou taps into South Korea’s booming art market and museum-going public, which saw record-breaking attendance in 2025. While the project strengthens Franco-Korean diplomatic ties, it also highlights the Pompidou's broader global 'franchise' strategy, which faces varying degrees of success following the recent cancellation of its Jersey City outpost.