A poetic fireworks display in broad daylight to say goodbye to the Centre Pompidou
This Wednesday, October 22nd at 17:30 pm, a unique fireworks display will light up the Paris sky in broad daylight. Free and open to all, this exceptional event symbolically marks the closure of the Centre Pompidou for five years of renovation work.
One last burst before five years of absence
The Centre Pompidou, an iconic figure of modern and contemporary art since 1977, is entering a new phase in its history. While the building will close its doors completely at the end of the month, the institution has decided to organize a week of festivities. The highlight of this celebration: “The Last Carnival,” a performance by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, a world-renowned specialist in artistic fireworks.
This 20-minute work, conceived as a tribute to the museum and its unique architecture, will unfold in broad daylight on the building's façade. A technical and aesthetic feat, made possible through the use of colored gunpowder and artificial intelligence technologies, creates a true living tableau in three acts.
An ephemeral but symbolic work
Conceived as a festive and poetic farewell, the show aims to celebrate the history of the venue, its collection, and the millions of visitors who have passed through it. While all the seats on the forecourt have been reserved, the show remains visible from the surrounding streets.
For Jérôme Neutre, curator of the event, it is about "transforming the façade of the Centre Pompidou into a monumental work of art, in front of the Parisian public", offering a final suspended moment before the building closes for renovation.
A week of events to close in style
The fireworks kick off a series of free, open-access events running until October 25. In partnership with the Because Music label, the program includes concerts, performances, masterclasses, and screenings in and around the museum.
After this special week, the Centre Pompidou will close to begin a vast project estimated at €460 million, partly funded by the French government. This includes removing asbestos from the building, improving its security and accessibility, and completely redesigning its interior spaces.
During these five years of closure, the museum's collections will travel in France and internationally, and several temporary exhibitions will take place in other cultural venues, including a major Matisse retrospective planned for the Grand Palais in 2026. The Public Information Library, meanwhile, will temporarily set up in the Bercy district.
