Centre Georges Pompidou
 rue du Renard Open: |
The cultural and artistic center named after Georges Pompidou, built in the old Beaubourg area, has sparked many a lively debate about its daring and strange architecture (designed by architects Rogers, Piano and Franchini). The strange cultural crossroads was accepted only slowly and with great difficulty into the rhythm of daily life in the area. But now, the metal and glass parallelepiped, whose air ducts, heating shafts, and stairwells were all stuck onto the outside to gain more space inside, has a unique central role in the neighborhood. The number of people who visit the building daily is astounding, and for many years it was the most visited museum in Paris. (This honor was only very recently returned to the Louvre.) The Pompidou Center is the home of, among other things, the National Museum of Modern Art, a masterful and diverse collection of works from many modern schools. Many temporary exhibits pass through the building, which also houses a large public library, a restaurant, and a new internet café. |
