Centre Pompidou

Located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, Centre Pompidou is a multidisciplinary cultural center that houses the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Europe’s largest modern art collection, along with a public library, cinemas, and performance spaces. Designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the building is renowned for its high-tech architecture and colorful exterior. The museum is currently closed for renovation until 2030, but its collection is accessible at Centre Pompidou-Metz and through touring exhibitions.

Planning your visit

The Centre Pompidou turned a building inside out: Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers put the structure, ducts, water pipes and escalators on the exterior — colour-coded by function, blue for air, green for water, yellow for electricity, red for circulation — to leave the interior free of obstruction. When it opened in 1977 it was widely hated; it is now among the most recognisable buildings in Paris. Inside is the Musée National d'Art Moderne, the largest modern art collection in Europe, alongside a public library, cinemas and performance spaces.

The critical planning point is that the building has closed for a major renovation running to around 2030. During that period the permanent collection is not accessible at the Paris site. Works are travelling, and Centre Pompidou-Metz in eastern France continues to operate, along with touring exhibitions and partner venues internationally.

Anyone planning a visit should therefore verify current status before booking anything — listings and tour offers can lag behind closure schedules.

Bookable options where operating include skip-the-line guided tours and private guided formats covering the collection. When the Paris building reopens, the escalator ride up the exterior tube for the rooftop view over the city remains one of the best in Paris. Current availability is shown below.