Paris is about to lose one of its best art galleries for five whole years, but the Centre Pompidou isn’t going out without a bang.
The Centre Pompidou is famous for its inside-out architecture, and has been home to the very best contemporary art in the French capital since its opening in the late 1970s. In its 50 years of life, it’s seen hundreds of millions of visitors and, naturally, accrued a bit of damage.
It was announced back in 2023 that the Centre Pompidou would have to close for half a decade – starting this year – in order to carry out essential maintenance, refurbish the library, and generally ensure the future of the building.
The Pompidou, known colloquially as the Beaubourg, closed its doors on September 22, but it’s coming back for one last hurrah before its five-year hiatus. As part of a collaboration with Because Music, the building will reopen for a huge party on the last weekend of October.
And when we say huge, we mean huge. Eight floors of dedicated exhibitions, DJ sets, and artist takeovers huge. There will even be live performances from French bands and musicians such as Christine and the Queens, Ed Banger, Sébastien Tellier, and more.
Due to the museum already being closed, all of the artwork will have been removed and stored away safely before this event, meaning the organisers are free to go crazy with decorations and installations. One floor is being turned into a roller disco, another a cinema. There will be spaces for children to play, theatrical performances, and ‘immersive’ experiences. The best part? From 11am – 6pm, it’s all free.
From 6pm, the Centre will basically turn into an eight-storey mega club. DJs will be playing on every floor, and the party will go on until 5am the next day. Entry is €40, but when else will you get to spend the night in a venue this iconic?
The daytime fun will begin at 11am on Friday October 24 and Saturday October 25, with the evening programme starting at 7pm Friday or 8pm Saturday. Tickets are on sale now, and you can buy them from the Centre Pompidou’s website here.
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