Picasso & Pompidu Museums


Photo 1: Palace Pompidu stands out on its otherwise normal street.		 The next day we spent the morning wandering around the nice little (compared to the Louvre!)  Picasso Museum and then had lunch at a café down the street. The food was pretty good, but at those prices it had better be good!

Then we went over to Palace Pompidieu, the modern building with all the mechanical components on the exterior. It was pretty avant garde at the time and it continues to be controversial. They painted all the pipes, conduits, and ducts different bright colors by function (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.) Apparently, now the weather has taken its toll on all this unprotected mechanical apparatus and they have a maintenance nightmare on their hands.

Photo 2: A giant checklist on the corner lists current and coming events and exhibitions.

Photo 3: The new pavement slabs cover the electical and hydralulic works beneath.		 Just outside the Pompidu is a little square with a pool full of strange and whimsical fountains. The square was being remodeled and resurfaced by placing new 2x4 foot slabs of concrete on rubber corner cushions. This also provided a space underneath to run the electrical and hydraulic lines to the fountains.

Next: Arc de Triomphe

Previous: Eiffel Tower

Europe 1996 Index

Richard Crowley Home Page