Paris's Unfinished Laboratory for Contemporary Art

At a Glance

Palais de Tokyo on the Seine in Paris's 16th arrondissement is Europe's largest contemporary art kunsthalle—about 22,000 m² devoted entirely to temporary exhibitions and commissions, with no permanent collection.

A Second Life for an Expo Building

Built for the 1937 Paris Expo, the building was largely idle for decades until a 2002 contemporary-art reopening. Lacaton & Vassal's 2012 renovation gave it its current character: raw concrete, exposed services, unfinished walls. The "undone" shell sets the tone for the shows it hosts.

What to See

• Lasco Project — a labyrinth of basement corridors dedicated to street art commissions; not on the main map.
• Main hall commissions under the 10-metre ceiling every year.
• Le Module, a platform for first major shows by 30- and 40-something French artists.
• Carte Blanche, an annual invitation for a major artist to rework the whole building—past editors include Tomás Saraceno and Philippe Parreno.
• Tokyo Art Club restaurant and bookshop, curated as rigorously as the exhibitions.

Visiting Tips

Three minutes from Iéna (Metro 9); walk over from Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower view. Open daily noon to midnight—the only Paris museum with late-night hours. Around €12 for adults. Pair with the free Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris in the same building.