
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

Tickets for the Centre Pompidou permanent collection
Book your entrance tickets to visit the permanent collection of Centre Pompidou!

Private tour of the exterior and permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou
Book a guided tour of the Centre Pompidou now! Get insights on modern and contemporary art collections and learn the story of this controversial building in Paris.
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Paris Museum Pass
Book your Paris Museum Pass, and visit without more than 50 museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding area!

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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Experiences in Centre Pompidou
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”
“Très bien.”
