Pompidou Centre in Paris is an essential location to visit while you are in the capital. Situated very close to the Hotel Paris France, it is much more than just a museum, rather it is a polycultural centre housing a wide range of attractions and activities, plus around thirty superb temporary exhibitions each year. It is also a breathtaking, even audacious example of modern architecture embodying a flamboyant boldness which is endearing in itself

Pompidou Centre in Paris, a hugely popular landmark

President Georges Pompidou had a vision of a building to be erected in the heart of Paris which would be a combination of theatre, cinema, museum, art gallery, library and more; a true cultural institution that would be a gift to the people of the city and indeed the whole of France itself. The plan was so ambitious that it came together only with difficulty and the building was a whole six years in the making. The startlingly experimental yet imagination stirring architecture was considered daring in its day and is still an exhilarating sight nearly four decades later.

The Centre proved to be an outstanding success and still hosts a wide range of events and exhibitions. Currently running until June 9th is the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition, celebrating the life and work of the man who, for all intents and purposes, invented photojournalism. This giant with a camera chronicled many of the headline happenings of the 20th century and the 500 photographs and other items on display amply demonstrate his talent for capturing the decisive moment that reveals the essence of an event. Even if you have visited the Pompidou Centre before, it is always worth going again because only a relatively small portion of the total collection is on view at any one time and so the visitor experience is constantly being reinvented.

The Hotel Paris France recommends the Pompidou Centre in Paris

There is a vital and ever-changing aspect to the Pompidou Centre which we at the Hotel Paris France find fascinating. We are sure you will feel the same way.

 

Hotel Paris France, a charming 2-star hotel near the Louvre

Copyright: Centre Georges Pompidou-Paris Tourist Office-Architect: Renzo Piano et Richard Rigers-Photographer: Amélie Dupont