The Fondation Cartier, located at the Palais Royal in Paris, is set to officially welcome the public to its new facility on October 25, 2025, marking a new chapter in the foundation’s evolution. This new space, situated at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, occupies a historic Ottoman-style building that was once home to the Grands Magasins du Louvre, a significant landmark in 19th-century Paris where culture and fashion converged. The renovation, led by French architectural maestro Jean Nouvel, features expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the vibrant city street views. Inside, five movable platforms provide flexibility and dynamism to the exhibition space, highlighting the interactive relationship between art and architecture.
On the day of the new museum’s grand opening, the inaugural exhibition General Exhibition will be showcased, featuring nearly 600 pieces of art from over a hundred artists. All of the artworks have been accumulated from the foundation’s curatorial journey since its establishment in 1984. The exhibition includes solo showcases and thematic areas, fully illustrating the foundation’s spirit of cultural experimentation across various fields such as architecture, technology, nature, ecology, and intellectual exploration. This exhibition not only reflects on the past but also underscores the Cartier Foundation’s ongoing commitment to the dialogue between art and society in the future.
This name is derived from the exhibitions of items and clothing that took place at the same location in the 19th century, coinciding with the World Expo. Beyond showcasing innovative products, the exhibition also served as a vital platform for French citizens to understand the world and exchange ideas. The Cartier Foundation, in adopting this name, responds to its historical context, transforming the inaugural exhibition into a new cultural space that embodies experimentation and public engagement. As part of the modern Parisian urban landscape, this new venue aims not only to be an exhibition space but also to become a crossroads that ignites creativity and thought within the city.
