Beaubourg is closed for several years, but the story of the Centre Pompidou continues elsewhere. In Massy, in the Essonne department, a brand-new 30,000-square-meter building has just welcomed its first visitors. Named the Centre Pompidou Francilien, or “art factory,” it will be open to the public free of charge for three weekends this fall, before its official opening in the spring of 2027.
The first event took place on October 17 and 18. Two more will follow on October 24 and 25, then on October 31 and November 1, 2026. For the occasion, the public can enter a building that is still almost empty, before the collections gradually take their place there.
150,000 works from the Centre Pompidou will be moved to Massy
This new Centre Pompidou is not simply an annex intended to host a few exhibitions. It will become the new home for the 150,000 works in the National Museum of Modern Art’s collection—the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
Two exhibitions are scheduled to be held there each year, accompanied by workshops, meetings with artists, and events offering a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work usually hidden from view in a museum. The idea is precisely to provide greater insight into the life of the artworks before they are hung: their conservation, transport, and restoration.
The architecture, designed by Philippe Chiambaretta and PCA-Stream, draws direct inspiration from Beaubourg. On the facade, a large outdoor wooden staircase evokes the famous “caterpillar” of the Parisian building. It leads, in particular, to a viewing platform overlooking Blanchette Park and its lake.
For these preview days, works from the collection are already dotted along the tour route, accompanied by performances, concerts, workshops, and guided tours.
Location: Centre Pompidou Francilien, 4 avenue du Noyer Lambert, 91300 Massy
Dates: October 24 and 25, then October 31 and November 1, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; free with reservation