Foz do Iguaçu selected to host French museum

City will be the only one in Latin America to have a branch of the Centre Pompidou, one of the most visited modern and contemporary art museums in Europe

The city of Foz do Iguaçu will host the first branch of the Centre Pompidou in Paris in Latin America. The construction and installation of the Foz do Iguaçu International Art Museum is the result of a partnership between the Government of the State of Paraná and the French cultural institution.

According to the state government's news agency, the space will receive an investment of more than R$200 million and should be open to the public by 2026. "Other countries have tried to take this museum but were unsuccessful, and Foz do Iguaçu was strategic for the Centre Pompidou," celebrates Jaime Mendes, co-owner of the Del Rey Quality Hotel and vice president of Visit Iguassu.

The museum should occupy an area of approximately 24 thousand square meters provided by CCR Aeroportos, which manages the Foz do Iguaçu International Airport. The idea is for it to be located in an easily accessible location and close to the region's main tourist attractions, such as the Iguaçu National Park.

The Centre National D’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou is a cultural complex and one of the most visited places in the French capital. It houses several buildings, such as the National Museum of Modern Art, the Public Library, a music research center and other cultural facilities.

For Jaime Mendes, the partnership will bring good results for the Foz do Iguaçu region, especially in terms of cultural tourism. This should create a new market niche in the city. “We will have a new moment in the city, since we will be working to promote this great tourist attraction, where people will have the opportunity to see great works, such as those of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí.”

A little history

Inaugurated in 1977, the Centre Pompidou was designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rodgers. The museum houses some of the most important works of modern and contemporary art in Europe, including paintings by Picasso, Miró, Salvador Dalí, Mondrian, Pollock, Andy Warhol and others. In total, there are more than 120,000 works of art, dating from 1905 to the present day.

According to the Paraná State Government news agency, the Brazilian unit will feature works from the museum's headquarters, but will also feature prominent names in Latin American art.

The city of Foz do Iguaçu is an important tourist center in southern Brazil. According to the Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion (Embratur), in the first half of 2024 alone, the Iguaçu National Park alone reached the mark of one million visitors, with 409,402 (41%) tourists coming from other countries.

For more information, visit: https://www.hoteldelreyfoz.com.br