Another museum renovation project is underway in Paris. After the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre, the Musée Picasso-Paris is launching its own major works under the banner "Picasso 2030." Forty years after its opening, the public institution, which holds the largest collection of the Spanish artist's work with more than 5,000 pieces and 200,000 archival items, has begun a major transformation. The plan is to merge the museum's garden with the adjacent Square Léonor-Fini and create a new wing dedicated to temporary exhibitions. It will all take place without closing the museum's doors: The overhaul will run from 2028 to 2030 while remaining open to the public.

Ten years after tripling its exhibition space, the decision to start a new renovation may come as a surprise, especially since the building itself is not at risk. "The building is magnificent and extremely well-maintained. However, over time, I have noticed its limitations since all visitor traffic constantly intersects. The museum was designed in the 1980s as a jewel box, not a living space," said Cécile Debray, president of the museum since 2021. Over the past two years, she has patiently worked to convince the museum's various partners, including the City of Paris, which owns the hôtel particulier and the adjacent garden, the French state, which is the guardian of the collection, and the Picasso heirs, who hold the artist's moral rights, to approve the renovation. All have given their approval.

You have 62.51% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.