Tourists and French visitors last got a glimpse of their prestigious art collection before filling Paris's groundbreaking Pompidou Centre over the weekend and closing for a massive renovation for five years.
“Five Years – Long!” When people around her took many photos of the museum's permanent works, one guide, Elisa Helvelin, cried out that she cried out the paintings of Salvador Dali and Henri Matisse and the sculptures of Marcel Duchamp.
The 2,000-piece collection on display on the 4th and 5th floors of the Multicultural Center from 48 years ago will be removed in a staggered process that begins on Monday.
The artwork is given temporary homes to French museums and other countries' museums, but the long overhaul of the building is designed famously for its pipes and ventilation shafts to colorfully decorate the façade – which is carried out.
The complete closure of the Pompidou Centre, consisting of a vast library and music research unit, will be on September 22nd. The 262 million euro (£220 million) renovation includes removing asbestos from the structure.
With free admission last weekend, visitors made the most of the gallery, incorporating art, filming workshops, performances and DJ sets.
Some were regulars at the museum, while others first saw the collection in person.
Alyssa, an 11-year-old French girl who embraces everything alongside her 62-year-old grandfather, said she “actually saw” the abstract paintings of Dutch artist Pieto Mondrian that she was showing in her school art class.
Paula Goulat, a 25-year-old Brazilian, admitted that she was there primarily from the upper floors of the centre for a spectacular view of the Paris skyline.
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However, her Portuguese friend Luis Fraga had frequented the museum. The museum said “we wanted to enjoy all the artwork we could before they weren't here anymore.”
With 3.2 million visitors last year, the Pompidou Centre is one of Paris's most popular museums, ranks behind only the Louvre and Missedlès in terms of attendance.
It opened in 1977 and is named after Georges Pompidou, the French president between 1969 and 1974.
The renovation work will be carried out until 2030.
