Paris, without doubt, has some of the best museums in the world. The Louvre is perhaps the most well known, but when it comes to more contemporary art the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou is as good as it gets. Set in one of the most peculiar structures ever built in strong contrast to its historical surroundings, this museum hosts some of the world’s best contemporary art – which is the type of art I enjoy the most.
The Paris tourist info introduces:
Situated at the heart of Paris in the Marais district, the Pompidou Centre reveals its unique, timeless and modern architecture, offering its visitors the most beautiful view over the capital. From the upper floors, you can see sweeping views over the City of Light and its most emblematic monuments such as Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Sacré-Coeur. Behind its web of colourful pipes, the building contains numerous spaces entirely dedicated to culture and art spread out over 6 floors, among which the largest modern and contemporary art museum in Europe is housed. With more than 70,000 works, it displays the masterpieces of some of the most famous figures in modern art like Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse, Chagall, Léger, Miro, Dali, Dubuffet and Klein. It also displays the work of the most famous contemporary artists such as Buren, Boltanski, Opalka, Twombly, Hantaï, Tallon, Widmer and Garouste.
The Centre Pompidou welcomes around 25 temporary exhibitions which highlight the main actors and movements in the history of 20th century art as well as the biggest artists on the contemporary scene. A rich programme including cinema, theatre, dance, concerts, conferences, seminars, an area for young people, a public information library, shops and restaurants completes this abundance of art and makes the Centre Pompidou a unique place for a multitude of disciplines.
What’s to see? Things like…
Tables and chairs…
A fresh look at the world map..
A humane use for guns…
and it goes on and on and on…
Challenging your senses, broadening your mind, opening your soul. And this is really what museums should be about.
In case you’re wondering, the ‘modern art’ part in the museum name isn’t in vain. It’s not all contemporary art, and you can enjoy some of the world’s finest modern pieces by Picasso, Chagall, and other prominent friends.
There are a few visiting exhibitions that come and go on the top floor, next to a very cute coffee shop…
Aside from the world-class art exhibits, there’s the building itself, with photo-ops in every corner, and overlooking Paris from the top floors…
Location:
If you want something slightly more exhilarating than the Mona Lisa and you’re a fan of the more contemporary art , I’d say make this museum a priority.