The Pompidou Centre, Malaga

Málaga, a city with its own unique identity, where culture is in its DNA, now welcomes, The Pompidou Centre, the latest addition to the genetic make-up of this vibrant capital. The Pompidou’s outpost is the museum’s first foray outside France. The opening came just three days after another equally interesting project, namely The St. Petersburg Museum of Russian Art.

These two incredible artistic centers will join other much visited cultural attractions such as the Picasso Museum and the Centre for Contemporary Art, also known as CAC. The CAC sits alongside, yet an another, cultural initiative MAUS, in the area known as Soho Malaga.

The capital of the Costa del Sol is becoming an icon as a modern and cosmopolitan city, a much sought after cultural destination. It's hardly surprising that Malaga was ranked fourth in Spain for 'cultural quality' according to the "Observatorio Cultural de la Fundación Contemporánea," last report. 

Málaga has wisely placed culture in the center of the new stage for tourism development. The Picasso Museum and the Thyssen Museum have already proven the success of this policy. 

The Pompidou Centre, Malaga

image credit - Jesús González.

The idea for the Pompidou centre originated during a football match, as unlikely as that might sound.

Back in 2008, Málaga Football Club hosted a friendly match between the national teams of France and Spain, in the presence of the current Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre and the Ambassador of France in Spain, Bruno Delaye. 

During conversations between the two representatives the project began to take shape.

Málaga’s mayor, Francisco de la Torre, has lead an aggressive campaign to turn Málaga into a place brimming with culture. During his 15 years in office, the city has spent an estimated €100m and is now home to over 30 museums. 

The first Pompidou Centre was an inspiration of the French President Georges Pompidou who took his idea to reality in 1977, becoming one of the leaders of contemporary museums, with over 200,000 works, and is today one of the most influential art museums in the world and one of the most visited.

So now the ‘Malagueños’ and tourists alike have the pleasure of enjoying a smaller scaled version of this great centre, located in one of the most beautiful and special places of the city. Malaga's new port areas Muelle Uno and Muelle Dos, piers one and two.  

With its famous glass cube, it's a contemporary space. The structure has a floor area exceeding 6,300m2 , divided into 3 rooms of 1,665m2 each housing the permanent collection, leaving a central space of 365m2 for temporary exhibitions.

France’s Centre Pompidou has signed a five-year agreement allowing Málaga to house Pompidou, with the city paying €1m a year for the rights to use its name as well as pieces from its vast collection. An estimated 250,000 visitors are expected in the first year alone. 

Permanent works of the Pompidou Centre 

The space will house 90 permanent works, inviting visitors to tour the art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In addition there will be two to three temporary exhibitions a year with different topics.

The five topics:

• The Metamorphosis: From Picasso to Rineke Dijkstra 

• The Cubist Body: From Picasso to Tony Oursler

• The Political Body: From Peter Klasen to Sigalit Landau

• Selfportraits: From Van Dongen to Pierrick Sorin

• Faceless: From Chirico to Yong Li Bin

Entrance Prices 

There are two types of entries;

Reduced admission is offered to pensioners over 65, students up to 26 years and large families.

Free Entrance

Free entry for the unemployed, under 18s, university teachers and students of Fine Arts and Art History, museum employees and members of ICOM.

Entry is also free to the general public on Sundays from 16:00 until closing time.

Timetable

From 9:30 to 20:00 hours, including holidays.

Closed on Tuesdays, January 1 and December 25. Special times between June 15 and September 15: 11:00 to 22:00.

Map of the Pompidou Centre Malaga