The Musée Picasso-Paris announced plans for a €50 million (around $59 million) “transformation” including a new wing for temporary exhibitions and a reconfigured design to combine its garden with the nearby Square Léonor-Fini. The construction work is slated to take place from 2028 to 2030, during which time the museum plans to remain open to visitors eager to see the more than 5,000 works by Picasso in its collection.
The announcement comes 10 years after the Musée Picasso tripled its exhibition space. “The building is magnificent and extremely well-maintained,” said museum president Cécile Debray, according to a report in Le Monde. “However, over time, I have noticed its limitations since all visitor traffic constantly intersects. The museum was designed in the 1980s as a jewel box, not a living space.”
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A new wing for temporary exhibitions will double the amount of space allotted for such shows, with a total of 8,600 square feet when completed. In addition, work on the museum’s garden will result in a 25,000-square-foot sculpture to be populated with around 10 sculptures by Picasso. The park will be free to passersby, with no museum ticket required. “We are taking inspiration from Scandinavian gardens, where it is possible to touch the sculptures,” said Debray, who, according to Paris Playbook, also called the park “the first open-air museum” dedicated to Picasso.
The Musée Picasso-Paris expansion will be funded through patronage planned to be raised by a foundation hosted by the Académie des Beaux-Arts, according to Le Monde, which added that the Picasso family has also donated a “significant” amount toward the goal.