Palais de Tokyo: Is a closure for renovations on the horizon at the contemporary art museum?

Significant repairs are on the horizon: in order to restore its spaces, the Palais de Tokyo will need to shut its doors for over a year. According to the 2026 budget proposal, the renovation work could begin soon.

The finances don’t add up: in order to ease its budget and restore its building, the Palais de Tokyo will be required to close its doors in the near future to carry out major renovations. The specific details of this closure are not yet finalized, but it’s likely that the museum plans to start these renovations around 2027.

For the 1937Exposition Internationale, a huge Art Deco building was erected between Avenue du Président Wilson and Avenue de New York (formerly known as the "Quai de Tokio"), to house two museums of modern art. Nearly a century later, the building is beginning to show its age. The Palais de Tokyo, housed in the building's west wing, has been suffering from a number of problems for several years now.

Since 2018, significant waterproofing issues have been reported and are actively monitored. The problems involve the roof, skylights, large glass windows, and marble panels, allowing water to seep into the museum and cause considerable damage. A report published in December 2022 by the Cour des Comptes also highlights “an assessment of the building's exterior facades, interior stone cladding, a structural analysis of the floors, and an electrical audit, among others. These evaluations reveal repeated flaws—whether in design, maintenance, or renovation—that compromise the site's stability or put it at risk due to non-compliance with current standards.

A complete restoration of the museum is therefore called for. But the work is not trivial, and requires complex organization. " The total cost of the work, covering renovation and insulation (waterproofing, replacement of the original zinc roofs, for example) and bringing the building up to safety standards, including electrical, without any new developments for programmatic purposes, is estimated at a minimum of 15 million euros ", adds the Cour des Comptes.

In 2021, as recalled by the Journal des Arts, the operator of cultural heritage and real estate projects (Oppic) recommended that the Centre d'Art Moderne carry out a series of works over a ten-year period, so that the museum could continue to welcome visitors. However, the cost of the multiple restorations carried out over the years, coupled with the special insurance the museum must take out to protect the works, are no longer viable.

To cut costs, the Palais de Tokyo is considering closing its doors entirely for a limited period. By devoting itself solely to the work, the museum should be able to speed up the restoration process, and thus save money, despite the absence of visitors. Marianne Berger, Deputy Director General of the Palais de Tokyo, is counting on a "short closure of no more than one year", according to Le Monde.

However, this plan is expected to be revised upwards. An article published on October 20, 2025, by the Journal des Arts highlights key details from the museum’s 2026 budget proposal. According to these sources, the Palais de Tokyo will likely need to close its doors for at least 18 months. Additionally, the estimated costs for renovations have also been increased: the budget draft cites almost 46 million euros for the project. If the budget is approved, work could begin in the spring of 2027.

The Palais de Tokyo has not yet released any official details about its renovation schedule. In the meantime, the contemporary art center continues its programming, with a series of exhibitions already slated for spring 2026.

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