The Centre Pompidou lands in Brazil: a new cultural centre in Foz do Iguaçu

As the historical headquarters in Paris prepares to close for five years for a massive renovation, the Centre Pompidou consolidates its global expansion with an ambitious project: a new artistic outpost in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, the first on the South American continent. The announcement comes after the signing of a five-year memorandum of understanding between the French institution and the State of Paraná, which will finance the initiative, at the end of a process that began in 2022.

Located in the heart of the 'Tríplice Fronteira', where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet, the new centre will have a multidisciplinary vocation, characteristic of the Parisian institution since its foundation at the end of the 1970s, offering not only modern and contemporary art exhibitions, but also performances, film screenings, festivals, conferences and artist residency programmes.
The idea is to create a dialogue between the Pompidou's collection and the South American art scene. With its 150,000 works, the French museum will bring masterpieces from its permanent collection to Foz do Iguaçu, alongside local productions, both modern and contemporary, to reflect the cultural dynamics of the region.

Designing the structure will be Paraguayan architect Solano Benítez, who was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2016. His innovative and sustainability-conscious design will integrate a public square, recalling the open and accessible spirit of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The building will also dialogue with the extraordinary landscape of the Iguaçu Falls, a Unesco heritage site, becoming a new tourist and cultural attraction.

At a projected cost of $240 million, the venture is the latest in a series of international expansions by the Pompidou, which is able to leverage its brand and collection to create an international network with locations in Shanghai, in cooperation with the West Bund Museum Project, Malaga and Metz. In May 2026, it will also expand to Seoul, in the city's financial district, in a cooperation with the Hanwha Group, which has recently been under indictment for its links to Israeli arms manufacturers, and to Brussels in November 2026, in cooperation with the Kanal Foundation and the city. In contrast, the opening of the controversial Centre Pompidou × Jersey City is postponed, after controversy over costs and the withdrawal of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. But the Pompidou also recently secured a €50 million donation from Saudi Arabia to help finance its renovation, although plans for a venue in Aiula also seem to be postponed.

The announcement of the new Centre Pompidou in Brazil coincides with the Saison France-Brésil 2025, a cultural exchange involving Paris and other French cities from April to September. Brazilian art is in the spotlight with a series of important exhibitions in Paris: from "Lucas Arruda" at the Musée d'Orsay to "Lygia Pape" at the Bourse de Commerce to the group show "Horizontes: Contemporary Art from Brazil" at the Grand Palais (6 June - 25 July 2025), while Laura Lima will occupy the Panthéon and the Musée du Quai Branly will present "Amazonia", on cosmologies and indigenous knowledge.
The Pompidou in Paris, meanwhile, will close its doors in September 2024 for a $280 million renovation that will modernise the facilities and infrastructure of the iconic building by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The last exhibition before closing will be a solo show by German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, held in the centre's library.