As part of a newly established bilateral agreement, Saudi Arabia will contribute €50 million to the €262 million renovation of the Pompidou Centre in Paris. This significant financial contribution is part of a broader cultural partnership between the two nations, which will involve mutual support for major cultural projects over the next decade.
Saudi Arabia’s donation will cover nearly a fifth of the Pompidou’s renovation costs, which were announced by the museum earlier last year. The renovations will span from 2025 to 2030, during which time the museum will be closed for construction. As the Pompidou relocates exhibitions off-site, workers will focus on upgrading the building’s safety and reinvigorating its design.
The renovation will include the removal of asbestos, enhanced accessibility, and the addition of an experimental youth section. Efforts will also be made to make the building more eco-friendly.
In a statement, France and Saudi Arabia’s culture ministers, Rachida Dati and Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, also revealed nine additional cultural agreements between the two countries. These include the development of museums in Saudi Arabia, such as a photography museum in Riyadh in collaboration with the Arles National School of Photography, and a museum dedicated to the Incense Road. France will also assist in restoring Saudi heritage sites and loaning art to Saudi museums.
