Things to do in Centre Pompidou
The project of the Centre Pompidou was initially conceptualized to be a large, free and general use public library that until the mid 20th century was greatly lacking in the city of Paris. At the same time the city’s Museum of Modern Arts, or Musée National d’Art Moderne was in great need of a new home.
Commissioned by the then President of France Georges Pompidou (whose name was eventually given to this cultural center) an architectural competition began to win the right to plan and build the new structure.
A team of two Italian and one British architects won and gave life to what is today considered a highly avant-garde building that embraces the future. It was not initially received well by the public and critics because it was thought to create a strong esthetic clash with the surrounding area.
One could say that the outer ‘walls’ are missing, leaving exposed the skeleton of the building, with brightly colored tubes of the mechanical systems visible to anyone. More recently it is a structure that has been praised as a great innovation architectural thought on a whole.
At the time of construction, IRCAM, a center for music and acoustic research, was already on location and is today also an integral part of the Centre Georges Pompidou.
The Centre Pompidou is open every day from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm except Tuesdays and holidays.
Our recommendations in Centre Pompidou
Trendy Marais tour with guide on your smartphone
Visit the Le Marais neighborhood at your own pace and customize your itinerary as you wish with this audio-guided tour on your smartphone.
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With the Go City Paris Pass® Plus enjoy access to many sites, art galleries and monuments, hop-on hop-off bus and sightseeing tours.
Skip-the-line guided tour of the Centre Pompidou in small group
Book your skip-the-line guided tour to visit some of the world's most exciting modern and contemporary art at Centre Pompidou!
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Walking tour of the trendy Le Marais neighborhood
Enjoy the trendiest neighborhood of Paris with this 2.5-hour walking tour of Le Marais including two tastings!
en, fr
Trendy Marais tour with guide on your smartphone
Visit the Le Marais neighborhood at your own pace and customize your itinerary as you wish with this audio-guided tour on your smartphone.
en, fr
With the Go City Paris Pass® Plus enjoy access to many sites, art galleries and monuments, hop-on hop-off bus and sightseeing tours.
Skip-the-line guided tour of the Centre Pompidou in small group
Book your skip-the-line guided tour to visit some of the world's most exciting modern and contemporary art at Centre Pompidou!
en
Walking tour of the trendy Le Marais neighborhood
Enjoy the trendiest neighborhood of Paris with this 2.5-hour walking tour of Le Marais including two tastings!
en, fr
Guided tour of Paris' gay neighborhood
Explore the heart of the LGBT community in Paris with this 2.5-hour walking tour of Le Marais neighborhood!
en, fr
Explore Paris at your own pace! Enjoy an app containing over 130 points of interest, famous transport routes, sightseeing itineraries and walking tours.
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Pastry and chocolate tour in the Marais neighborhood
Taste the sweet treats of the Marais neighborhood with this 3-hour pastry and chocolate tour!
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Private tour of the Marais neighborhood
Book a 2-hour private guided walk of Le Marais and discover the most interesting and diverse neighborhood in Paris.
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Private tour of Centre Pompidou Museum
Discover the world's largest collection of contemporary art on a 2-hour tour of the Pompidou Centre in central Paris.
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Private theme tour of Medieval Paris
Travel back to the early days of Paris on a private 2-hour walking tour of its medieval monuments!
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Trendy Marais Street Art and Food Walking Audio Tour
Stroll through the famous aristocratic district of Paris - the Marais district. See Place des Vosges, the Centre Pompidou and the Stravinsky Fountain.
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Historic and contemporary Paris bike tour
Discover the historic and contemporary Paris with this 3-hour bike ride through Le Marais district, the Ile de la Cité, Ile St. Louis, Notre Dame, the Louvre...
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How to get there
Centre Pompidou
Paris
France
Reviews Centre Pompidou
“We saved a lot with the 6 day pass for our week vacation. Definitely would suggest to people who are visiting Paris”
“Hi I won't be using the museum QR code until 20th August 2024. Found the documents easy and efficient to get organised Kind regards Sheena Holohan”
“Servizio puntuale, accesso semplice, personale gentile e disponibile”
