Atelier Brancusi modern art museum



This small museum in Paris is dedicated to the sculptor of modern art who left his studio and works to the French state, and it has been recreated at the Pompidou Centre where it is free to visit.

A bit of history



Constantin Brancusi was born in 1876 in Romania but in 1904 he moved to France and set up a workshop in the atelier of Auguste Rodin in 1907 but then moved out as he wanted his own space.

Having broken with tradition he started producing modern artworks in stone without utilising a plaster cast prior, and became recognised for his abstract sculptures, moving into new premises that he used for both his living quarters and his work.
Atelier Brancusi museum display
Constantin Brancusi also became friends with Man Ray who introduced him to the art of photography, and he lived and worked in the studios up until he died in 1957, and in his will he left everything to the French state.

Unfortunately the studio where he lived and worked fell into even more massive disrepair and eventually this and others were demolished.  Yet because he arranged each of his sculptures in a certain way where people could view them and he took numerous photographs of his workshop and studio, the atelier could be recreated.

The sculptures that were modern and abstract were originally placed within the Palais de Tokyo and a reconstruction was produced at the Centre Georges Pompidou, but this failed to recapture the spirit and feel of the place where Constantin Brancusi had spent well over thirty years of his life.

About the Atelier Brancusi Museum



The curators of The Pompidou Centre wanted to reproduce the studio of Constantin Brancusi to make it a fitting tribute to his original bequest, and the Renzo Piano Building Group, who also designed places such the Centre Georges Pompidou were instructed to come up with a new building with a design concept that would be worthy of the small museum.
So, located within the Place Georges Pompidou just in front of the iconic centre, a new small building was constructed and inside is an exact layout just as the original studio had been laid out by the artist originally.

The exact size, volume and light have been recreated within the rooms inside this flat roofed pavilion, yet so that its visitors can get to see the works on display properly, the sides of what would normally be walls, have been replaced by glass, and people can walk around the viewing area in comfort no matter what the weather.

Also, the building is protected from the very busy and popular plaza, as the Atelier Brancusi museum is surrounded by a wall and planted courtyard, so that the sculptures from this artist can be protected for years to come.

Within the Atelier Brancusi museum in Paris there are over 130 different sculptures, over 80 pedestals, some drawings, a couple of paintings and more than 1,600 photographic plates and original photos from Constantin Brancusi, providing a completely unique collection to enjoy.

Visiting the Atelier Brancusi Museum



As you have already gathered by now, the Atelier Brancusi museum is located on the piazza or square opposite The Pompidou Centre, and you may be pleased to know that this is one of the free museums in Paris that you can visit.
Art works inside Atelier Brancusi museum
Modern art inside Atelier Brancusi museum
You will find that it is open in the afternoons from 2pm through to 6pm every day of the year except for Tuesdays and on 1st May.  But in reality, this is a place you can visit in a very short time unless you are specifically interested in the Romanian sculptor, or wish to sit and draw or make sketches of some of the works on display, like you will often find students doing.

Now when it comes to reaching the Atelier Brancusi, you will find it located in the 4th Arrondissement within walking distance of numerous different tourist attractions, and this means that there are numerous different means of public transport in Paris that will get you close by.

For instance, you have the Metro stations called the Rambuteau stop serving line 11 and Hotel de Ville stop serving lines 1 and 11, but there is also the large Chatelet stop that serves lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14.

If you arriving in Paris via train, then the Chatelet - Les Halles stop is a train station serving the RER A, B and D Lines.

The bus numbers 29, 38, 47 and 75 will get you exceedingly close to the Atelier Brancusi and the Centre Georges Pompidou, however, others within walking distance also include 58, 69, 70, 72, 76, 81 and 96.

Two Velib stations for the self service bike hire scheme and a public car park are also located right by the Pompidou centre and the Atelier Brancusi, which is ideal for those of you who prefer utilising your own means of transport.