Centre Pompidou Hanwha
In 2023, Centre Pompidou signed a four-year partnership agreement to establish Centre Pompidou Hanwha in South Korea.
Designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the new museum will be housed within the iconic 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul’s leading financial district, spanning more than 10,000 square metres over four levels. The existing structure, which previously housed an aquarium, has been redesigned to create a true "box of light", allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the building by day and illuminating the city by night. Its translucent double-glazed envelope echoes the curves of traditional Korean roof tiles.
Over the next four years, the museum will present two exhibitions annually, drawing from french Centre Pompidou’s modern and contemporary collections, curated jointly and shown in two dedicated galleries of 1,500 square metres each.
Alongside these, it will present a series of exhibitions highlighting contemporary Korean artists and the major trends currently shaping the international art scene. Cultural and educational programmes for Korean audiences will complement an educational space where young visitors will be able to explore and engage with works of art.
Centre Pompidou Hanwha aspires to serve as a cultural bridge between Korea, France, and the international art community, as well as a new platform for contemporary art in Asia.
Centre Pompidou Hanwha opened to the public on 4 June 2026 with an inaugural exhibition devoted to Cubism, "The Cubists: Inventing Modern Vision". The exhibition presents not only the movement’s historical foundations through its major European figures, but also its impact on Korean creation in the early 20th century.
