Art

Paris’s New Glass Muse: Fondation Cartier Takes Over the Palais-Royal

Jean Nouvel’s transformation of a 19th-century landmark opens October 2025, unveiling 6,500 m² of flexible galleries and the inaugural “Exposition Générale” with over 100 artists.

Por: Angela Leon Cervera
Fondation Cartier 2025
Exhibition view of "The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel" at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, May 2025. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Photo © Andrea Rossetti

After more than thirty years on Boulevard Raspail, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain is set to begin a new chapter at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, in the heart of Paris, adjacent to the Louvre.

 

Jean Nouvel, the architect behind the Fondation’s original iconic glass structure, has been commissioned once again to transform a mid-19th-century Haussmannian building into a dynamic, forward-looking cultural venue.

 

The new Fondation Cartier will open to the public in October 2025, marking a major milestone in the Parisian and international art scene.

Fondation Cartier 2025
Jean Nouvel in the exhibition "The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel" at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, May 2025. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Photo © Andrea Rossetti

How Does Jean Nouvel Turn a Historic Building into a Site for Architectural Experimentation?

• Radical Flexibility: The new museum features five mobile platforms that can be adjusted to different heights, allowing for unprecedented combinations of volumes and spaces. This enables highly flexible, multidisciplinary exhibition programming, reflecting Nouvel’s vision of a museum as a tool for dynamic exhibition-making.
 
• Light and Transparency: The architecture leverages retractable ceilings and mechanical guard rails to modulate natural light and frame views of the surrounding cityscape, including the Palais-Royal gardens and Rue de Rivoli. The building’s design continues Nouvel’s commitment to transparency and integration with the urban context, blurring the boundaries between museum, city, and nature.
 
• Sustainability: The project prioritizes the reuse of materials and energy efficiency, aligning with contemporary standards for responsible and sustainable architecture.
 
• Contextual Design: Nouvel’s approach is rooted in contextualism, ensuring that the new Fondation Cartier responds to its historical setting while providing a platform for contemporary creation.
Fondation Cartier 2025
Exhibition view of "The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel" at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, May 2025. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Photo © Andrea Rossetti
Fondation Cartier 2025
Exhibition view of "The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel" at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, May 2025. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Photo © Andrea Rossetti

What Awaits Inside the Opening Blockbuster “Exposition Générale”?

The inaugural exhibition will bring together more than 100 artists and nearly 600 works, spanning the Fondation Cartier’s history from 1984 to the present.

 

The show will highlight the institution’s commitment to interdisciplinarity and experimentation, with a strong focus on visual arts, performance, technology, science, and philosophy.

Want a Preview? Venice Has the Blueprint

From May 10 to September 14, 2025, the exhibition “The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel” will be presented at Fondazione Giorgio Cini as part of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

 

Visitors can explore large-scale models, projections, photographs, and prototypes that preview the new Paris venue’s architecture and museography.

Fondation Cartier 2025
Exhibition view of "The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel" at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, May 2025. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Photo © Andrea Rossetti

Fondation Cartier 2025 at the Palais-Royal is not just a relocation—it’s a bold statement about the future of art and architecture in Paris. Jean Nouvel’s design redefines the museum as a living, evolving cultural environment, open to experimentation and dialogue with the city.

 

The new Fondation Cartier stands as a global reference for contemporary creation, blending architectural innovation with artistic dynamism.

Fondation Cartier’s Third Life

  • Will the Boulevard Raspail building close? No. It will become a satellite space for research and special projects, continuing its cultural mission.
  • How sustainable is the new museum? The project emphasizes the reuse of demolition materials, local sourcing, and significant reductions in energy consumption compared to the average Paris museum.
  • Tickets: Expect a digital, tiered ticketing system with advance sales opening in spring 2025.
  • Nearest métro: Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre (Lines 1 & 7).

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