A new modern art museum, partnered with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, has gotten the go-ahead to begin turning its new home into reality, with opening set for 2023.
Where Paris turned the 19th century Gare d’Orsay rail station into a stunning museum, Brussels is preparing to do the same with a 20th century transport icon, the former Citroen garage and showroom on the Charleroi canal. The building itself, already a landmark, will have a facade restoration to match its 1933 original.
The museum has had some pre-opening exhibits in temporary spaces as part of its campaign to build support for the project. The original plan was to use works on loan from the Belgian Royal Museums of Art, but was unable to work out an agreement. Instead, the musuem, to be known as Kanal Centre Pompidou, signed an €11 million a year deal with Centre Pompidou to provide artwork and expertise. The ten-year deal includes using some of the money to support staff in Paris.
