Jersey City will be partnering with Centre Pompidou of Paris, France to bring about the Centre Pompidou x Jersey City Museum which will be located in Journal Square. This will be Centre Pompidou’s first North American partnership — and they have picked no better place than the city of Jersey City to create this international destination for the arts. The museum was slated to open in 2024, but was delayed until 2026 back in April. Centre Pompidou recently announced that it’s hosting a ‘Night of Ideas’ event in Jersey City this March that will include exhibitions, debates, panels, screenings, performances, and workshops. Keep reading to learn about Centre Pompidou and its plans for expansion in Jersey City, plus more information on the museum’s first-ever event at HCCC.
^ Current building. Courtesy of OMA.
‘Night of Ideas’ Event
Centre Pompidou’s ‘Night of Ideas’ event will take place on March 1st, 2024 at Hudson County Community College from 6PM-1AM, per NJ.com. The event will include a variety of happenings — including exhibitions, debates, panels, screenings, four musical performances, and nine workshops while discussing urban issues like climate, development, and gentrification.
The event is organized by the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs, Centre Pompidou, Hudson County Community College, and Villa Albertine (a US-based French arts + culture institution). Villa Albertine hosts a variety of free public events, such as the ‘Night of Ideas’, around the country. The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency was expected to vote on a $20,000 contribution to the event on Tuesday, January 16th, but it has since been postponed due to weather.
Centre Pompidou
^ Future building. Courtesy of OMA.
The Centre Pompidou is a national cultural institution in Paris that includes the Musee National ’art Moderne. The museum receives more than 3.5 million visitors every year to admire its exhibitions, architecture and design, graphical arts, and more.
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The Centre Pompidou has successfully launched the Centre Pompidou Malaga in Spain, KANAL-Centre Pompidou Brussels in Belgium, Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum in Shanghai, China, and their newest partnership and first-ever North American endeavour will be taking place in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Centre Pompidou x Jersey City
The Centre Pompidou x Jersey City was first scheduled to open in 2024, but was delayed back in April 2023. Per NJ.com, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced that the art destination will not open until at least early 2026, citing the Covid-19 pandemic as well as contract issues for the delay.
The new museum will become “an all-new leading international cultural hub.” At this location, there will be exclusive exhibitions made with modern and contemporary masterpieces from the Paris location as well as hands-on and cultural experiences. The partnership will solidify Jersey City as a destination for cultural experiences, not only for its residents but also for visitors and tourists alike.
The goal of the Centre Pompidou x Jersey City is to attract the most diverse group of individuals to be able to offer a different form of cultural outreach all around. It will be located at 25 Journal Square in Jersey City.
^ Current interior. Photo Credit: OMA.
As Mayor Fulop of Jersey City said, “As the largest modern and contemporary art collection in Europe, the Centre Pompidou is the perfect partner to carry out our vision and solidify Journal Square as a regional anchor for the arts This is the latest major step towards our broader revitalization goals, utilizing all our City has to offer and establishing Journal Square as a cultural destination for generations to come.”
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This partnership will be led by Jason Long, a partner at OMA. OMA New York has successfully completed many projects like Millstein Hall at Cornell, the Wyly Theater in Dallas, the Pierre Lassonde Pavilion in Quebec, and more. Jason Long said, “We look forward to working with Mayor Fulop, Jersey City, and the Centre Pompidou in transforming the Pathside building into a revolutionary new space for art, culture, and community whose impact will be felt far beyond New Jersey.”
Though 2026 is a little ways away, we’ve got a this historical walking tour of the Journal Square neighborhood for you to check out in the meantime.
