Beaubourg Museum

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Why Beaubourg
is special

The Beaubourg's striking architecture (see photo) and its splendid modern art collection makes it one of Paris's top attractions.

Beaubourg Museum
tips & insights

Name

Beaubourg is the popular name of the museum, which it gained because it resides in the Beaubourg district of Paris.  Officially, it's the Centre Georges Pompidou.

Artworks

The Beaubourg houses acclaimed works by Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Dali and other famous 20th century artists.

View

After visiting the museum, go up to the top floor for an absorbing over-the-roofs' view of Paris.

Once controversial

When it was opened it 1977, the unusual design was highly controversial. Its critics gave it many unflattering nicknames, including "garish oil distillery". Today, most Parisians relish its looks.

Striking architecture

The Beaubourg has an inside-out architecutural design. The steel superstructure and the utility pipes are exposed conspicuously on the outside, not hidden internally. This creates a conversation piece and allows broader, more flexible internal space for exhibiting modern art.

Color coded

To make the structure even more interesting to visitors, the exposed pipes are color coded: blue (air conditioning), white (ventilation), yellow (electricity) and green (water). And, the elevators and escalators are red coded.

Outside

Jugglers, mimes and other street performers entertain the crowds in the square in front of the Beaubourg.

  

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