The Centre Pompidou-Metz unveils an exceptionally ambitious programme for 2026, positioning itself as one of Europe’s most compelling cultural destinations. Four major exhibitions — Louise Nevelson, François Morellet, Séraphine de Senlis, and Shigeru Ban — form a coherent and thoughtfully curated journey through modern and contemporary creation. For visitors from the UK and beyond, the season offers a rare opportunity to encounter artists who shaped, questioned, and expanded the artistic language of their time.

Louise Nevelson: A Sculptural Landmark for 2026

From 24 January to 31 August, the retrospective Mrs. N’s Palace immerses visitors in the shadow-filled, monochromatic assemblages of Louise Nevelson. Her iconic black wall sculptures, constructed from discarded urban materials, transform the gallery into a meditative architectural landscape.
Striking in scale and atmosphere, this exhibition is one of 2026’s defining sculptural events — and an overdue celebration of an artist who remains insufficiently recognised on this side of the Channel.

François Morellet: A Centenary Celebrated in Spectacular Form

Opening on 3 April, 100 pour cent is the most extensive survey ever devoted to François Morellet, a key figure in geometric abstraction and a founder of GRAV (Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel).
Bringing together one hundred works across more than seven decades, the exhibition captures the wit, precision and optical play that characterise Morellet’s practice. Far from austere, his work reveals a mischievous mind delighting in order, chance, and the unpredictable behaviour of light.

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Séraphine de Senlis: A Visionary Painter Reappraised

From 31 October, a major monographic show revisits the extraordinary oeuvre of Séraphine de Senlis, whose fervent floral compositions have recently been reinterpreted through ecological and spiritual perspectives.
Vibrant, dense and otherworldly, her paintings transcend the naïve label traditionally attached to her work. Instead, the exhibition presents Séraphine as a visionary whose intuitive relationship with the natural world speaks strongly to contemporary sensibilities.

Shigeru Ban: Architecture with a Human Touch

In December, the Centre Pompidou-Metz turns to its own architect. Shigeru Ban, winner of the Pritzker Prize, curates an exhibition reflecting on his distinctive approach to building — one rooted in humanitarian responsibility, material innovation and elegant simplicity.
Models, prototypes and experimental structures reveal how Ban’s work marries aesthetic refinement with social purpose, offering an illuminating perspective on sustainable architecture.

A Museum Alive with Movement and Experimentation

Throughout the year, Maurizio Cattelan’s evolving exhibition Dimanche sans fin brings humour, subversion and unpredictability to the galleries. Participatory projects by Marina Abramović and Elizabeth Peyton further position the Centre Pompidou-Metz as a dynamic institution where the visitor is invited not merely to observe but to take part.

A Season of Remarkable Coherence and Ambition

With its blend of major retrospectives, visionary installations and contemporary reflections on ecology, spirituality and social engagement, the Centre Pompidou-Metz delivers one of its most accomplished seasons to date.
For British visitors, 2026 offers an ideal moment to rediscover the museum and explore a programme that is as intellectually rich as it is visually compelling.

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