Art lovers, history enthusiasts, and curious tourists have been making their way to the Pompidou Centre in Paris this weekend, eager to experience one last glimpse of the renowned modern and contemporary art museum before its doors close for an extensive five-year renovation. The closure marks the beginning of one of the most complex overhauls in museum history, aimed at revitalizing the nearly 50-year-old institution.

From Monday onwards, the massive task of relocating Pompidou’s prized collection will begin—featuring masterpieces from Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, and Otto Dix, among others. The museum's treasures will be distributed to various cultural institutions across France and even beyond its borders, ensuring that the public will still have opportunities to admire them during the transition period.

A Bold Renovation to Preserve an Icon
The Pompidou Centre, designed by the visionary architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, is one of Paris’ most recognizable landmarks. It is famous for its industrial-style architecture featuring brightly colored pipes, exposed ventilation shafts, and an exterior escalator that offers breathtaking views of the city. However, time has taken its toll, and the €262 million renovation will focus on modernizing the building’s infrastructure, improving accessibility, enhancing energy efficiency, and—most crucially—removing the hazardous asbestos found throughout the structure.

The extent of the asbestos contamination was so severe that a full demolition of the building had even been considered. Ultimately, a top-to-bottom restoration was chosen instead, with museum officials framing the closure as an opportunity to completely reimagine the Pompidou experience.

“We will use this time well,” promised Laurent Le Bon, the museum’s director and an esteemed art historian. He described the project as a chance to “reinvent” the Pompidou, with plans to introduce a multidisciplinary exhibition space, new areas dedicated to children and young visitors, and an expanded library upon reopening.

A Weekend of Celebration and Farewell
In true Parisian fashion, the final weekend of the Pompidou Centre before its closure was anything but quiet. Visitors flooded the museum, taking advantage of free admission, immersive workshops, art performances, and DJ sets that transformed the space into a vibrant celebration of its artistic legacy.

For some, it was a nostalgic farewell. Luis Fraga, a regular visitor from Portugal, described the moment as bittersweet. “I just want to enjoy as much as possible before everything changes,” he said. Others, like 11-year-old Alyssa, came with a mission—to see Piet Mondrian’s abstract paintings in person after learning about them in school.

Meanwhile, some visitors were drawn less by the art and more by the spectacular panoramic views of Paris from the museum’s upper levels. Paula Goulart, a Brazilian tourist, admitted that while the artwork was impressive, nothing compared to the sight of the Paris skyline from the Pompidou’s terraces.

The Future of the Pompidou – and the Trend of Museum Overhauls
The Pompidou’s closure follows a growing trend of major museums undergoing ambitious renovations. Just weeks ago, the Louvre announced its extensive modernization plan, estimated to cost up to €800 million. While the Louvre will remain open during the process, it will introduce a new, more accessible entrance and relocate the Mona Lisa to its own dedicated exhibition space. That project is expected to be completed by 2031.

For those dismayed by the Pompidou Centre’s five-year closure, the situation in Berlin provides some perspective—where the renowned Pergamon Museum, home to priceless Greek and Roman antiquities, will remain closed for an astonishing 20 years due to large-scale renovations.

As Paris prepares for this temporary goodbye, the excitement of what’s to come lingers in the air. The Pompidou Centre has always been a symbol of artistic innovation and bold architectural vision, and when it reopens in 2030, it promises to be more extraordinary than ever.