Il était une ville, the playful design exhibition, at the Galerie des Enfants in Beaubourg

From February 13 to June 30, 2025, the Galerie des Enfants at the Centre Georges Pompidou hosts a new exhibition by artist Sara de Gouy: Il était une ville.

Before the Centre Georges Pompidou closes for major renovation work, which is expected to take at least five years to complete, there's a great program of (re)discoveries inmodern and contemporary art, with a special section for families with children. In the Galerie des Enfants (Children's Gallery), the exhibition venue of choice for young visitors, you'll discover Sara de Gouy's Il était une ville (Once upon a city) on February 13.

Not content with being a visual artist, Sara de Gouy is also a space designer and architect: so, until June 30, 2025, she is taking over the Galerie des Enfants withan exhibition conceived as a large-scale model. This imaginary city, which she invites children to explore, has been conceived as a city adapted to children and current issues.

"We wanted to bring children into the artist's world in a playful way," says exhibition curator Alice Maxia. So we plunge you into a city at children's level, designed by and for them. To this end, the artist spent several days with classes from a school in the 20th arrondissement, to see, discover and imagine a city as children would like it.

More playful crosswalks, colorful building facades, huts for dreaming and inventing stories in the heart of Parisian squares..."We're trying to mobilize all five senses to make it a sensory experience", explains Laura Samoilovich, also curator of the exhibition, with devices to touch and even pick! We recommend that the whole family discover the apple tree of possibilities, or the extraordinary garden with its immense moss flowers.

As usual, this exhibition at the Galerie des Enfants is designed to be a visit-workshop, where children can take full part in the experience! So it's up to them to play with the mirror pool, operate the wind turbines on a reproduction of a Parisian roof... and discover how to introduce more nature into the city. And discover at the same time how to introduce more nature into the city.

More sustainable, more joyful, the city imagined by Sara de Gouy can be explored every day except Tuesday at the Galerie des Enfants of the Centre Georges Pompidou, from February 13 to June 30, 2025. Admission is €15 full price, €12 concessions!

The Children's Gallery, HQ of the little ones at the Centre Georges Pompidou
Want to go to the museum but with your family, things get complicated: the kids get bored, you can't run around or let off steam, the exhibition doesn't interest your youngest ones...So, don't worry, the Centre Georges Pompidou has created an exhibition space specially designed for the little ones, so they can discover modern and contemporary art with activities just for them! [Read more]