Centre Pompidou Hanwha, the French cultural institution's first outpost in Korea, is scheduled to open on 4 June 2026 in Seoul’s 63 Building, a landmark on the Han River owned by the Hanwha Group. Developed through a partnership between the Centre Pompidou (whose Paris home is currently closed for restoration) and the Hanwha Foundation of Culture, the Centre Pompidou Hanwha is set to become a new cultural attraction in western Seoul's Yeouido.
Explore the new Centre Pompidou Hanwha
The museum is located in the former annex of what was once the tallest building in the South Korean capital. The renovated structure takes the form of a low, horizontally extended volume clad in opaque panels. It was designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who oversaw a full renovation of the existing annex building to adapt it for its new cultural use.
'Located along the Han River within the iconic 63 Building, the design takes the form of a luminous box that complements the character of the tower itself,' said Sungsoo Lee, chairman of the Hanwha Foundation of Culture. 'Conceived as a semi-transparent white box, the design was selected for its ability to harmonise with the surrounding landscape and the existing structure through a natural renovation of the former convention centre space.'
The opening of the Centre Pompidou Hanwha coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France and the 20th birthday of the Hanwha Foundation of Culture. The new institution is expected to serve as a major cultural hub in Seoul, presenting works from the Centre Pompidou’s collection, including many that have not previously been shown in Korea and several that will be exhibited in Asia for the first time.
The four-storey museum includes two large-scale exhibition halls of approximately 1,650 sq m each. Alongside exhibitions drawn from the Centre Pompidou collection, the venue will also host shows and programmes developed with Korean and international artists, supporting major currents in contemporary art in the region.
For its inaugural exhibition, the museum will present ‘The Cubists: Inventing Modern Vision’ from 4 June to 4 October 2026. The displays offer an overview of Cubism in Paris between 1907 and 1927, drawing primarily from the Centre Pompidou collection.
While the original Centre Pompidou in France is undergoing renovation works, its programmes will continue through partner venues and international collaborations – 'constellation projects', according to Laurent Le Bon, president of the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
'Cubism was chosen for the inaugural exhibition in Seoul because the Centre Pompidou holds a significant collection of Cubist masterpieces, and because of its historical importance as one of the defining artistic movements of the 20th century,' added Christian Briend, chief curator at the Centre Pompidou. 'It profoundly influenced many artists throughout the century and connects directly to future exhibitions planned in Seoul.'
The Seoul Pompidou outpost is expected to reinterpret its Paris counterpart's collections within the Korean cultural context and serve as a cultural bridge between Korea, France, and the wider international art world.
The Hanwha Foundation of Culture organises exhibitions, residency programmes and cultural exchange initiatives for emerging artists. Its Youngmin International Artist Residency Grant supports artists through international opportunities, and its Space ZeroOne in New York serves as an exhibition platform introducing contemporary Korean artists to global audiences.