The Cartier Foundation, which has been nestled in Paris’s 14th arrondissement for the last 30 years, has found a new home in a much bigger location – and it’s set to house the city’s newest art museum.
Later this year, the contemporary art centre will open a new branch at 2, place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre and close to the Ministry of Culture. The new 8,500-square-metre space makes it the largest private art centre in Paris.
The building dates back to 1852, and while the exterior has retained its charming original character, the interior has been completely redone in a way which honours Jean Nouvel, who designed the museum’s current location on Boulevard Raspail.
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Half of the space will be dedicated to exhibitions, allowing the foundation to exhibit its own collection of more than 2,500 works for the first time. The other half will be filled by a restaurant, a bookshop, an auditorium and offices, which will all be designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
Of the 8,500 square metres open to the public, 6,500 will be used for exhibiting work, and that space now includes five mobile platforms which can transition into different stages which drastically transform the museum.
‘Exposition Générale’ will be the inaugural exhibition, set to open on October 25. However, in the meantime, you can sneak a preview of the Fondation at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where some of the architectural concepts will be on display at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini until September 14.
Keen to learn more about art in the French capital? Have a look at our guide to the absolute best art galleries in Paris.
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