December 21st, 2025 - A Museum Once Home to 120,000 Artworks Now Stands Empty for Renovation

The Pompidou Center in Paris, a cultural landmark known for housing the second-largest collection of modern and contemporary art in the world, has temporarily closed its doors for a significant renovation. For months, the center has been a hive of activity as over 120,000 works of art were carefully packed away for safekeeping, and the building, which once housed pieces by Matisse, Chagall, and Warhol, was stripped of its exhibitions. Visitors who once marveled at its colorful and vibrant halls now find only empty walls, boxes, and exposed pipes.

The closure of the Pompidou for its €463 million ($540 million) renovation is a deeply transformative moment for the institution, which has long been a favorite for Parisians and tourists alike. As part of the renovation, the museum's heating systems will be updated, asbestos will be removed, and the lower floors will be redesigned. The project is expected to last five years, raising questions about how Paris will cope without such an iconic venue for modern art.

Despite its postmodern design initially being controversial, the Pompidou has grown into one of Paris’s most beloved cultural institutions. For many, it represents the heart of contemporary art in the city, hosting not only exhibitions but also performances, cinema screenings, and music events. With its distinctive architecture, which includes external pipes and escalators, the Pompidou has become emblematic of Paris’s modern cultural identity.

The renovation comes at a time when the Pompidou’s role as a symbol of French cultural excellence is more pronounced than ever. In 2024, the museum attracted nearly 4.6 million visitors, underscoring its importance to both the city and the broader art world. However, the temporary closure has left many feeling a sense of loss, as the artworks that once filled its galleries are now carefully stored away.

As the center prepares for its transformation, one of the most poignant elements of the renovation has been the dismantling of large-scale artworks like “Ben’s Store” by Ben Vautier. This complex installation, which once looked like a life-sized junk shop, was slowly taken apart over several months, with curators documenting each item and packing it meticulously into boxes. This process, while preserving the artwork, has also given curators a deeper understanding of the complexities of Vautier’s creation.

The renovation also includes the careful dismantling of “Salon Agam,” a giant kaleidoscope-like room designed by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam. Originally commissioned for the Élysée Palace in the 1970s, it took museum staff five weeks to pack up the entire installation, with each piece being carefully cataloged and stored. The process, though lengthy, has allowed curators to gain a new appreciation for the work, which will eventually be reinstalled after the renovation is completed.

Among the few works left untouched is Jean Pierre Raynaud’s “Container Zero,” a tiled shipping container that the artist regularly curates with personal items. Despite the museum’s closure, this piece will remain in place, as stipulated by the artist’s contract with the Pompidou. Whether or not Raynaud will see his work reinstalled remains uncertain, but his commitment to its preservation reflects the profound connection between the artist and the institution. For Raynaud, the container’s fate is tied to the future of the Pompidou, symbolizing the museum’s ongoing rebirth and transformation.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Hibernaculum (noun, hye-ber-NAK-yuh-lum) - Hibernaculum (plural hibernacula) refers to a shelter occupied during the winter by a dormant animal, such as an insect, snake, bat, or marmot.

Example - Local scientists are studying the longevity of bats who use bridges and other aboveground hibernacula versus that of bats who roost all winter in subterranean caves.

Image credit: Unsplash