Paris, the world’s cultural capital, is undergoing a renaissance. As the city welcomes millions of visitors each year, its most treasured institutions are getting long-awaited makeovers to preserve their legacy and elevate the visitor experience.
The Return of the Grand Palais
After a meticulous four-year restoration costing nearly €500 million, the Grand Palais has reopened its doors in June 2025. Visitors can now enjoy 50% more modular exhibition space, a mezzanine-level café, and a dramatic new brasserie designed by Joseph Dirand. Its reseda green steel beams and restored bronze staircase once again highlight the grandeur of France’s Beaux-Arts tradition.
Centre Pompidou’s Bold Transformation
While the Grand Palais reopens, the Centre Pompidou has closed for a five-year overhaul estimated at €358 million. Designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the iconic building will undergo asbestos removal, structural updates, and a complete modernization of its galleries. In the interim, its collections will be hosted at the Grand Palais — a cultural exchange that symbolizes Paris’s adaptability.
Opera Houses and Museums Reimagined
The Opéra Garnier is also undergoing structural upgrades that will extend until 2029, while the Opéra Bastille prepares for its own restoration between 2030 and 2032. Meanwhile, the Musée d’Orsay is enhancing visitor flow with new entrances, a gallery for contemporary photography, and a fifth-floor terrace, all while remaining open through 2027.
The Louvre’s Balancing Act
Nowhere is the strain of tourism more evident than at the Louvre, where nearly 9 million visitors pass through annually. Director Laurence des Cars has warned of leaky roofs, unstable temperatures threatening masterpieces, and overcrowding around the Mona Lisa. A modernization plan set for completion by 2031 will add new exhibition spaces and improve visitor comfort, while ensuring the museum retains its global cultural dominance.
A Cultural Gamble Worth Billions
From the reopening of the Fondation Cartier in its Jean Nouvel–designed home on Place du Palais Royal this October, to ongoing renovations across Paris’s cultural landmarks, the city is investing billions to remain at the pinnacle of art, architecture, and heritage.
For visitors, this means new opportunities to explore alternative gems — from the Musée Rodin and Musée d’Art Moderne to private foundations like the Pinault Collection. Paris’s cultural map is shifting, but its status as the epicenter of global culture remains unshakable.