The Pompidou Centre

Hôtel de la Place du Louvre invites you to explore this exciting multi-disciplinary centre in central Paris, in the 4th arrondissement, between the Les Halles and Marais neighbourhoods.

A major cultural institution

The national Georges-Pompidou art and culture centre came from President Pompidou's idea to design an original space devoted to modern and contemporary creativity where theatre stands alongside music, graphic arts, cinema, audiovisual research and literature.

The then controversial architecture was designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The site's ambition to bring different artistic fields together in one place is reflected by the building itself which encourages communication between the different spaces and opens onto the exterior to make it a real social hub. The external escalators that look like huge pipes provide views of Paris' rooftops and monuments. The 6th and final floor has panoramic views of the capital which you can take a trip up to or book a table at Le Georges restaurant on the same floor. 

It's the second biggest collection of modern and contemporary art in the world after Moma and the biggest in Europe. The museum's permanent collection has work by 20th and 21st century artists. The 5th floor has collections from modern artists (1905-1960): Picasso, Man Ray, Matisse, Dali, Braque, Kandinski, Mondrian, Marx Ernst and more. The 4th floor has contemporary art from the 60s to the present day: Pop Art, Nouveau Realism, Minimalisme and more.

The cultural centre also has temporary exhibitions, a large public library and a research centre for acoustics and music.

A lively forecourt at the foot of the Pompidou Cenntre and the Fontaine Stravinski

The social hub that is the Pompidou Centre radiates outside onto the large square nicknamed "la piazza" where performances are regularly staged. The Fontaine Stravinsky near Hôtel de la Place du Louvre and the Pompidou Centre is also worth a trip.

The public fountain was designed in 1983 by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle. Its 16 colourful sculptures represent work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. The figures are brought to life by electric motors to create movement and sound.