In Paris, the Centre Pompidou bids farewell to the public before five years of work: on October 22, 2025, the artist Cai Guo-Qiang at the Centre Pompidou launched "The Last Carnival" in broad daylight, with a daytime fireworks display, while on October 24–25, the Because Beaubourg weekend invites two days and two nights of music and installations. Closure of the Centre Pompidou: asbestos removal and renovation, while redeploying programming outside the walls.
Fireworks at the Centre Pompidou: the farewell in broad daylight
On the west facade of the Centre Pompidou, the artist Cai Guo-Qiang offered, on October 22, 2025, a spectacular fireworks display: The Last Carnival, a daytime pyrotechnic fresco designed to "ignite" the caterpillar without saturating the public space. The performance lasted about 20 min, including nearly 7 min of fireworks, with colored smoke and intermittent bright flashes. A moderate sound level was maintained, while the setup was supervised by fire safety teams. Medical assistance was present on the Piazza, in accordance with the prescriptions communicated by the institution.
This closing gesture, designed with the algorithmic tool cAI™, extends the artist’s approach, which has been exploring gunpowder, light, and the urban landscape for decades. Fireworks in Paris in October 2025, launched at 5:30 p.m. at Georges-Pompidou square (Paris 4th). The action stages a farewell "in broad daylight." This aesthetic choice favors the color and drama of the pigment clouds.
Program reference: The Last Carnival — Cai Guo-Qiang & cAI™, Centre Pompidou.
Because Beaubourg: two days and two nights at the Centre Pompidou
The last major event in the historic building before the closure, Because Beaubourg unfolds on October 24 and 25, 2025, 2 days & 2 nights of showcases, DJ sets, installations, and immersive experiences across 8 levels. The artistic line is co-constructed with the label Because Music, celebrating 20 years of productions.
The format is clear: free days from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. within the limits of capacity. Additionally, the paid nights cost €40 by reservation. Finally, the complete night ticketing is announced in advance. The event is presented as "the largest event ever organized at the Centre Pompidou." Between a roller disco on the top level, screenings at the cinema, workshops for children, masterclasses, and meetings, the public moves freely from one floor to another, including bars and pop-up store.
Program reference: Because Beaubourg (October 24–25), Centre Pompidou.
Why close for so long? Renovation of the Centre Pompidou
The establishment is undertaking a project of complete asbestos removal and a renovation of the Centre Pompidou aimed at fire safety, energy optimization, and better accessibility of the routes. The total closure extends from 2025 to 2030. Preparatory operations marked the year 2025, with the major work starting early 2026. The stated goal is the reopening of the Centre Pompidou in 2030 with a more sober and more readable building. Moreover, it will remain faithful to the original utopia of a center bringing together museum, creation, reading, and citizen life.
This period requires a very large-scale move (collections, workshops, services), a reconditioning of the works, and a reorganization of the teams. For the public, it is accompanied by an increase in partnerships and an off-site schedule.
References: project Centre Pompidou 2030 and page "The Centre is transforming."
Constellation: the spirit of Beaubourg outside the walls
During the closure, the programming redeploys thanks to Constellation, a network of traveling exhibitions and works. Additionally, there are residences and educational actions. In Île-de-France, several axes structure the season, notably collaborations with the Grand Palais and the Philharmonie de Paris. Furthermore, there are receptions and co-productions with Parisian and regional venues. Moreover, the Centre Pompidou Francilien – Fabrique de l’art in Massy (Essonne) is gaining momentum.
This Ile-de-France hub is to house the reserves of the National Museum of Modern Art and those of the National Picasso-Paris Museum, while offering a dedicated programming, research spaces, and conservation-restoration workshops. The first prefiguration actions were announced in autumn 2025 in Massy, before a gradual opening to the public starting in 2026.
References: Program "Constellation" and Project House (Massy).
An artistic and technological signature
With The Last Carnival, Cai Guo-Qiang condenses his favorite themes: the memory of a place, the forces of matter, and the collective narrative. The collaboration with cAI™ (a tool tailored for his practice) adds a digital counterpoint to this theater of gunpowder. The Centre emphasizes that the pyrotechnic materials are manufactured in Europe and comply with current standards. Thus, it assumes a responsible approach to visual and sound effects in the heart of the city.
This choice of a daytime blaze is not trivial: the color of the smoke, the rhythm of the "flashes," and the reading of the metallic frame of Beaubourg are perceived differently than at nightfall. In the background, the work pays homage to the collection and the history of the institution, from modernism to current scenes.
What this changes for Paris and the neighborhood
Five years without access to the main building will weigh on the visitor flows and the economy of the Beaubourg neighborhood. Neighboring cultural actors are reorganizing, between occasional cooperations and adaptation of programs. On the institutional side, the continuity of the offer will rely on the mobility of the works and off-site mediation. Additionally, it will rely on enhanced digital formats. For the public, this promises another cultural geography: Grand Palais, Philharmonie, partner venues in the region, and, ultimately, Massy.
Weekend guide
- Hours: free days 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (last entries according to capacity); nights from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Friday) and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Saturday), paid (€40) and sold out on the ticketing side.
- Access: Place Georges-Pompidou, Paris 4th. Public transport strongly recommended. Expect a security check at the entrance.
- Circulation: free across 8 levels; rollers at the top, musical stages, installations, cinema, workshops, bar & catering on all floors, free cloakroom, pop-up store.
- Publics: all-ages programming with children’s village, guided tours, and dedicated times for meetings.
- Safety & health: during the fireworks, colored smoke, intermittent flashes, and moderate sound level announced; rescue teams on site.
Landmarks
- Building: opened in 1977, high-tech architecture by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, becoming one of the markers of the Parisian landscape.
- Functions: National Museum of Modern Art, Bpi, live performances, cinema, artistic education.
- Work timeline: closure 2025–2030, start of construction early 2026.
- Objective: safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, reconfiguration of certain public spaces.
Practical information
When?
- Fireworks The Last Carnival: October 22, 2025, from 5:30 p.m..
- Because Beaubourg: October 24–25, 2025, 11 a.m. – 5 a.m. (day free; nights paid and sold out).
Where?
- Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris; west facade of the Centre Pompidou (caterpillar side).
Access & tips
- Favor public transport and arrive early due to capacity limits.
- Follow the safety instructions on site.
- For people with reduced mobility: dedicated routes and elevators in the building during opening hours.