Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tion—the entrance is either on the fourth or fifth floor (it varies). Enter, show your ticket,
and get the current floor plan
(plan du musée)
.
The20thcentury—accelerated bytechnologyandfragmentedbywar—wasexcitingand
chaotic, and the art reflects the turbulence of that century of change. In this free-flowing and
airy museum, you'll come face-to-face with works from the first half of the 20th century,
including pieces by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, Piet
Mondrian, Paul Klee, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, and many more.
The contemporary collection highlights post-1960 works, including Andy Warhol's pop
art. You'll also see fewer traditional canvases or sculptures and lots of mixed-media work,
combining painting, sculpture, welding, photography, video, computer programming, new
resins,plastics,industrialtechniques,andlightingandsoundsystems.Evenskepticsofmod-
ern art will find that after so many Madonnas-and-children, a piano smashed to bits and
glued to the wall is refreshing.
View from the Pompidou:
Ride the escalator for a great city view from the top (ticket
or Museum Pass required).
Nearby:
ThePompidouCenterandthesquarethatfrontsitarelively,withlotsofpeople,
street theater, and activity inside and out—a perpetual street fair. Kids of any age enjoy the
fun, colorful fountain (called
Homage to Stravinsky
) next to the Pompidou Center.
Looking more like a grand château than a public building, Paris' city hall stands proudly
on the river (a few blocks south of the Pompidou Center). The Renaissance-style building
(built 1533-1628, and reconstructed after a 19th-century fire) displays hundreds of statues
of famous Parisians on its facade. Peek through the doors to see elaborate spiral stairways
reminiscent of Château de Chambord in the Loire. Playful fountains energize the big, lively
square in front.
This spacious stage has seen much of Paris' history. On July 14, 1789, Revolutionaries
rallied here on their way to the Bastille. In 1870, it was home to the radical Paris Commune.
DuringWorldWarII,GeneralCharlesdeGaulleappearedatthewindowstoproclaim Paris'
liberation from the Nazis. And in 1950, Robert Doisneau snapped a famous black-and-white
photo of a kissing couple, with Hôtel de Ville as a romantic backdrop.
Today, this is the symbolic heart of the city of Paris. Demonstrators gather here to speak
their minds. Crowds cheer during big soccer games shown on huge TV screens. In summer,
thesquarehostssandvolleyball courts;inwinter,abigice-skating rink.Andyear-round,the
place is always beautifully lit after dark.
