As the largest and most important museum of modern art in Europe, and one of the most renowned in the world, Centre Pompidou is a must-see attraction when you’re visiting Paris. Featuring the late 19th-20th century art, explore its collections and galleries featuring over 50,000 works, including movements from Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.

Exhibitions

There are many rooms that sprawl over the six floors in the Centre Pompidou where you can explore all the modern art movements from Dadaism, Fauvism, Cubism and Expressionism. Perfect for art lovers with more unconventional tastes, the collections are made up of interactive videos and visuals, to prints and murals.

Stravinsky Fountain

Between Centre Pompidou and the Church of Saint-Merri sits the Stravinsky Fountain, a whimsical brightly coloured fountain depicting sixteen works of sculpture, incorporating free running water that represents The Rite of Spring by the composer Igor Stravinsky. Created by sculptors Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle in 1983 it’s one of Paris’ most iconic fountains (if not slightly bizarre) but true to its modern art influences fits perfectly in its location.

Library

The library in Centre Pompidou actually has two libraries; first the Public Information Library, accessible to the public, and free of charge; and second, the Kandinsky library, which focuses on the research and documentation relating to modern art. They’re both a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to indulge in a bit of research or just to have a look around the vast collections of information.