Centre Pompidou has sparked some debates in 1977 when it was opened for the public with its giant glass-and-steel box look and exposed pipes. The center takes its name from president Georges Pompidou and houses the French National Museum of Modern Art, a public library, a cinema and the IRCAM institute.

Architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers thought of placing the stairs, ducts, shafts and tubes on the outside of the building to gain more space inside for the exhibitions. The conspicuous pipes are colored in blue (air conditioning) and green (water pipes) and the giant external escalators are red.

The museum exhibits paintings, sculptures, photography and drawings representative for the Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism art movements. Works of art from Picasso, Magritte, Chagall, Matisse or Kandinsky can be found on display.

The art museum is open every day from 11am to 9pm (11pm on Thursdays) except for Tuesdays and May 1 and a ticket is 10 euros.

Place Georges Pompidou, 75004 Paris
Tel: 01-44-78-12-33
http://www.centrepompidou.fr