Centre Pompidou Francilien – fabrique de l’art

An optimal conservation hub

Centre Pompidou houses one of the two largest collections of modern and contemporary art in the world, and the largest in Europe. Comprising some 150,000 works, this national collection, owned by the French State and held by the Musée national d’art moderne, is unparalleled in the diversity of creative fields and disciplines it encompasses.

The continual expansion of the collection, through three acquisition committees each year, together with the scale of its loans—not only across France, but internationally, reflecting Centre Pompidou’s global reach—make its reserves a strategic priority of the highest order in terms of conservation.

Constrained by the limited capacity of its current reserves, located in the north of Paris, Centre Pompidou sought to create a larger space, equipped with facilities perfectly suited to the preservation of its heritage and open to innovations in the fields of conservation and restoration.

The hub’s location in Essonne will enable it to draw on the knowledge and expertise of Université Paris-Saclay and its research laboratories in the field of preventive conservation. Collaborative projects will be developed between Museum professionals and researchers.

A space for exhibitions and mediation

Drawing on its mission to share the greatest possible number of works with the widest possible range of audiences, and on its experience across regional, national and international territories, Centre Pompidou has deliberately conceived this new space as an open and shared venue, designed to host a rich, multidisciplinary and inclusive programme.

The immediate proximity of the reserves and the scale of the building make it possible to present recently acquired or rarely exhibited works, offering a renewed perspective on Centre Pompidou’s collection as a whole. The curatorial and educational approach seeks to encourage public engagement with the works and the circulation of knowledge. Exhibitions, guided tours, encounters, workshops and more will allow visitors to discover not only the works themselves, but also their history: the choices involved in their acquisition, the conditions of their conservation or modes of circulation, and the ins and outs of a restoration operation.

A place for creation

Within Centre Pompidou Francilien, artists occupy a central place. Dedicated spaces for creation and experimentation enable them both to develop their artistic practice, to engage in dialogue with a considerable section of modern and contemporary art represented by the collection, and to interact directly with "beholders" of all ages and backgrounds, whether local or international audiences, visitors, amateurs or professionals.

Made possible through a partnership with the Île-de-France Region, the Essonne Department, the Paris-Saclay urban community and the City of Massy, with the support of the French State and in connection with Université Paris-Saclay, Centre Pompidou’s future Francilian hub will open in spring 2027 in Massy.

Designed by the Parisian agency PCA-STREAM Philippe Chiambaretta Architecte, Centre Pompidou Francilien – fabrique de l'art is a building with a dual character, expressing the paradox at the heart of its ambitious program.

• On one side, a vault, a closed monolith providing the best possible conditions for the conservation and restoration of the 150,000 works in Europe’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art, while allowing controlled natural light into the workshops;
• On the other, a welcoming and open profile, designed to bring together new audiences from Île-de-France around the collections and the museum’s professions, thus continuing the avant-garde philosophy of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers’s project.

Two years of development in dialogue with museum teams enabled PCA-STREAM to design a rationalised and optimised facility, restrained and resilient, expressed in particular through:

• a structure made as compact as possible in order to reduce any unnecessary surface area;
• a bio-sourced, low-carbon timber exostructure;
• a roof fitted with 2,000 photovoltaic panels, providing partial energy autonomy;
• a façade composed of a double skin of geological concrete, incorporating vertical fins for passive thermal protection.

The whole is designed to ensure the best possible working conditions, facilitate circulation and foster synergies between teams.

Just as Centre Pompidou opens onto the city through its Piazza, Centre Pompidou Francilien extends towards the Parc de la Blanchette and its lake. This increasingly porous dialogue between culture and nature is expressed at height through its panoramic belvedere; on each level, through its open walkways; and on the ground floor, through its terraces opening onto a tree-lined promenade.

Its grand staircase and wooden walkways running along the entire façade echo the visual signature of the Parisian site and its famous "caterpillar", reinforcing the symbolic connection between the two places.

Construction work began in July 2024.

Prélude!

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October 2026
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026
Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026

10 am-7 pm – Saturday 17 October: 2-7 pm 

Free admission, booking required

Reservations open in September 2026

Ahead of its opening in spring 2027, Centre Pompidou Francilien will unveil its building to the public over three free festive weekends in October 2026. This will be an exceptional opportunity to wander freely through the raw architecture of the future hub for conservation, exhibition and creation, to glimpse part of the still-bare behind-the-scenes spaces of this new "fabrique de l’art" and the areas dedicated to its programme.

The visitor route will cover some 5,000 m² across all levels of the building, and will be punctuated by works from Centre Pompidou collection: sculptures by Jean Dubuffet and Germaine Richier, a sound piece by Claude Closky, and video installations by Clément Cogitore, Douglas Gordon and Rineke Dijkstra, among others.

Each weekend, devoted to a specific theme—Architecture, Nature and Territory, Collective Play—will also be brought to life through performances, concerts and talks, in the presence of different artists, experts and public figures.

Flash tours and workshops for young audiences will be led by guides and mediators.

Following "Prélude!", Centre Pompidou Francilien will temporarily close its doors to the public in order to move the works from the collection into their new reserves. Join us in March 2027 for the first major exhibition within its walls!

Co-developed with partner local authorities, Centre Pompidou Francilien project is rooted in southern Île-de-France, within an area of remarkable cultural, educational and scientific vitality. It is based on networked collaboration with local stakeholders to devise an artistic and cultural offer that responds directly to the realities and expectations of residents, thereby affirming an active and lasting presence across the territory.

"Since 2016, the Île-de-France Region has made culture a priority, devoting a substantial budget to it every year, with €103 million in 2024.
Cultural action in the region is deeply rooted in partnership. It occurs through collaboration with cities, departments and the national government. It covers all areas of culture: performing arts, heritage, cinema, audiovisual and video games, books and reading, sculpture, visual and digital arts, young artists and artistic and cultural education in all disciplines, particularly for secondary school pupils.

The aim of the Île-de-France Region is to promote culture for all throughout the local area. Our objectives are to rebalance the cultural offer in Île-de-France and fight against territorial divides, promote young creation and the emergence of new talents and provide access to high-quality cultural and artistic opportunities for residents on the outskirts – especially in rural areas – close to where they live. 

Centre Pompidou Francilien – fabrique de l'Art, to which the Île-de-France Region is contributing €20 million, is part of our cultural strategy, summed up in three key words: inclusion, travelling and creation."

Valérie Pécresse, President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France
Florence Portelli, Vice-President for Culture, Heritage and Creation

"The Essonne Department is very proud to welcome one of the world's largest collections of modern and contemporary art to Massy. This will complement the already extensive range of artistic works on offer to the public in Essonne, thanks in particular to the Domaine de Chamarande and the Fonds Départemental d'Art Contemporain. From Dagobert to Racine, Boileau and Madame de Sévigné, not forgetting Gustave Caillebotte, Jean Cocteau and Hubert Robert, Essonne has seduced a great many artists and visitors since the Renaissance, with its rich cultural and natural heritage, offering a setting that is conducive to wonder and inspiration.

Centre Pompidou's future restoration and conservation centre will also offer international exhibitions and artistic performances in the Essonne region, stimulating creativity and synergy with local cultural structures. This is a huge opportunity for the cultural vitality of our department!"

François Durovray, Preident of the Departmental Council of Essonne

"Centre Pompidou Francilien in Massy – what an opportunity and honour for the Paris-Saclay Urban Community! The new centre to exhibit and conserve Centre Pompidou collection will strengthen the region's cultural offering and allow new audiences to discover contemporary art. It's also a chance to forge new partnerships with players in innovation and higher education!

Paris-Saclay locals can't wait to discover this new site, which will play a key role in the urban area's artistic ecosystem in the future, alongside the Opéra de Massy and the Théâtre de Longjumeau, which currently has the largest capacity of its kind in the outer suburbs."

Grégoire de Lasteyrie, President of the Paris-Saclay Urban Authority

"As the northern capital of Essonne and the urban centre of the Saclay plateau, with direct access from Orly, Massy is undeniably one of the central hubs that give structure to the Île-de-France region.

A city of culture (Opéra, Salle Paul B), a service centre (31,000 jobs, with major groups such as Carrefour and Nokia) and a place of innovation (quantum and deeptech start-ups), Massy is the model of the suburbs: a diverse, energetic and creative town. Dynamic and working-class (with 38% social housing), Massy is a town that encourages growth through its emphasis on education, its formative sports clubs and its debut album music festival. The arrival of Centre Pompidou Francilien in 2027 will consolidate its role as the southern capital of Greater Paris."

Nicolas Samsoen, Mayor of Massy

Paris-Saclay University is a leading university of Europe and the world, covering the fields of science and engineering, life sciences and health, and humanities and social sciences. It was created through the combined efforts of universities, Grandes Écoles and research bodies.

Its scientific policy closely links research and innovation, and focuses on both fundamental and applied sciences to respond to the major challenges facing society. From undergraduate to doctoral studies, as well as Grandes Écoles programs, Paris-Saclay University offers courses in a wide range of disciplines, designed to help students succeed and enter the professional world. It prepares graduates for a fast-changing society, where critical thinking, agility and the ability to renew your skills are key.