Centre Pompidou

Musee National d'Art Moderne

Centre Pompidou Hours and Admissions

Metro: Rambuteau; Hôtel de Ville

Arrondissement: 4eme

Place Georges Pompidou

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Map of the Area

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The Centre Georges Pompidou, the Pompidou Center, was constructed between 1971-1977, designed by Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini. It houses the Bibliothèque Publique d'Information (Public Library of Information), a vast public library and the Musée National d'Art Moderne (National Museum of Modern Art). Some of the art movements represented are Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.

The museum has 50,000 works of art including painting, sculpture, drawing and photography, of which 1,500 to 2,000 are on display.

The building is very distinctive. It has been described as "an oil refinery in the center of the city". The colored external piping is a special feature of the building.

Air conditioning ducts are blue, water pipes are green and electricity lines are yellow. Escalators are red and the white ducts are ventilation shafts for the underground areas. Even the steel beams that make up the Pompidou Centre's framework are on the outside.

The intention of the architects was to place the various service elements (electricity, water, etc.) outside of the building's framework thereby turning the building inside-out. This arrangement allows for an extra large and uncluttered internal space for the display of art works.

The Centre is named in honor of Georges Pompidou, President of France from 1969-1974. It opened January 31, 1977.

Organizationally, it is linked to IRCAM.

IRCAM, Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, was founded in the 1970s by Pierre Boulez. This Paris-based institute is one of the most important European institutes for both science about music and sound and for avant garde electro-acoustical art music.

ICRAM located next to the Centre Pompidou.

The Place Georges Pomidou, in front of the Centre, is noted for the presence of street theatre, such as mimes, acrobats and jugglers. It's a very entertaining area.

The other Modern Art Museum in Paris is called Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.

Centre Pompidou Hours and Admissions

The Centre Pompidou is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. every day except Tuesday and May 1.

Museum tickets cost 10 euros. For those between ages 18-25 the price is 8 euros. Under 18 years of age are admitted free with a ticket picked up from the ticket booth.

For information on current exhibits visit the Centre Pompidou Website.

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