by Krystle Hernandez

Created on: March 30, 2007   Last Updated: November 25, 2008

Constructed between 1971 and 1977, and named after the then president of France, The Centre Georges Pompidu of Paris is well-known more for its original architectural design than the art work of its included the vast library, which comprise the first three floors of the centre, and the Musee National d'Art Moderne, which fills the fourth and fifth floors.

The museum features a widely ranging collection of international modern art, possessing works by Picasso, Kandinsky, and Matisse, to name only a few. Although typically only two-thousand works are on public display at a time, the museum houses over fifty-thousand works of art encompassing several prominent art movements including Cubism and Surrealism, and several forms of media including painting, photography, and sculpture.

The Centre opened its doors in 1977 and, much to the dismay of architect Richard Rogers, received negative reviews for its skeletal like exterior design, which uses brightly colored tubes for the building's main mechanical systems. Not long after its inception, however, it has since risen to the forefront of main tourist attractions in Paris.

Fortunately, the modern style of the exterior is also reflected within the building's walls, with innovative technology such as faucets which produce temperature-specific water determined by the position of the user's hands.

Visitors will also undoubtedly enjoy the Place Georges Pompidou, located directly in front of the museum, which boasts entertainment in the form of street performers, although it is a prime spot for pickpockets, so beware!

Any individual with an appreciation of art will certainly find themselves lost in the many floors displaying a virtual tour through modern art movements. Fixate on fauvists, go crazy about cubes, and definitely be amazed by the abstract expressions.

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