Centre Pompidou, Hanhwa Group Ink Deal to Open a New Museum Branch in Seoul

Hanhwa Group and Centre Pompidou officially sign a contract to launch a branch of the prestigious Parisian museum in Seoul. Slated to open in October 2025, "The Centre Pompidou Hanhwa Seoul" will showcase iconic works from the 20th and 21st centuries.

The executive representatives of Hanhwa Group and Centre Pompidou came together on Thursday to finalize the contract, and the signing was held at the Centre Pompidou HQ in France. This has secured the deal for establishing the museum's branch in Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement will give the Hanhwa Group a licensing right to use Centre Pompidou's properties for four years, starting from when the museum opens in the capital of South Korea. The finalization of the contract comes as a follow-up phase after the Hanwha Foundation of Culture inked a memorandum of understanding with the Centre Pompidou in March this year.

The museum has been named "The Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul," it will be constructed inside the famous 63 Square, also known as The 63 Building. The annex building of the skyscraper will be remodeled to accommodate the contemporary museum.

Once completed, Hanhwa will hold two exhibitions every year. Visitors will be able to see renowned masterpieces from the exclusive Pompidou collections. The conglomerate will pay brand royalties, rental, and other fees to use the priceless art pieces as part of the deal.

Donga Ilbo reported that The Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul would focus on the works of contemporary art masters that represent the 20th and 21st-century art trends. On top of the exhibitions, celebrated masters whose many works were not yet introduced in the country will also be displayed.

The Centre Pompidou houses more than 120,000 art pieces from the early 1900s to the present. It has works of acclaimed art masters such as Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, and Kandinsky.

Photo by: Hanhwa Press Release