The Pompidou Center, the third most visited attraction in Paris, needs extensive renovation, so it will be closed for repairs in the next five years, writes CNN.
The Pompidou Center has several galleries, a library, and a restaurant. All of these sites will be closed to the public between 2025 and 2030 to carry out necessary repairs and construction work to ensure the longevity of the building in the future.
This was announced at the beginning of May by French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak, saying that the cost of the work would be about 260 million euros. The project aims to modernize the entire building and remove asbestos.
Initially, it was planned to close the center for restoration in September this year, but it was decided to postpone construction work due to the Summer Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris in 2024.
Located in the heart of Paris, the Pompidou Center, named after former French President Georges Pompidou, attracts millions of visitors every year. During the reconstruction, a new terrace of 1,500 square meters will appear near the center overlooking the western part of the city. In addition, as a result of reconstruction, the center will be able to reduce electricity bills by 60%. “We may be one of the most energy-intensive buildings in France, so that’s not bad news,” said Laurent Le Bon, head of the Center Pompidou.
But visitors will still be able to see some of the values of the center during the restoration work. For example, 400,000 books from the public library will be temporarily moved to the Le Lumière building in the Bercy district of Paris. The Center Pompidou also houses the National Museum of Modern Art, whose paintings will be exhibited in other museums in Paris and France.