Guys, I am SO excited to share this awesome spot we visited yesterday. It is perhaps the consistently BEST kids’ expo in Paris.
I’m talking about the Galerie des Enfants at the Pompidou Modern Art Museum. This place ticks all the boxes – very hands on and interactive, bilingual helpers available to explain, information provided in French AND English, with a great mix of activities. It definitely feels like a place where kids can just be kids, which is a rare find in France:)
Best of all – the space is free for kids under 18!
The current show ‘The People of Tomorrow,’ is all about symbols, sounds and colors – all universal languages! Kids get to make flags with their favorite symbols in a workshop, hop on a musical hopscotch to make music, and build with huge foam block symbols to make a story. A highlight was the DJ stand where each symbol was related to an emotion and sound… the kids got to make different beats in front of a stage where people were dancing! So fun. We stayed for almost two hours, and honesty the kids could have stayed longer.
You can also visit the permanent collection afterwards (we didn’t because hungry stomachs were calling... I do wish they opened at 10AM rather than 11AM, which is just a bit too close to lunch to get much in. And weekend afternoons are in general much more crowded in Paris.). At the very least, take the iconic tube escalators up to the top floor for a gorgeous view over Paris.
The Galerie des Enfants is located on the 1st floor (2nd floor US style), overlooking the main entrance area. The current show ‘The People of Tomorrow,’ is on til May 9, 2022, at which point they will install a new expo.
On the first Sunday of every month, admission to the permanent collection and the Galerie des Enfants is free for everyone – beware there will be long lines though! In general the website recommends reserving your tickets in advance, but we arrived at opening and there was no wait.
Check your coats and anything bulky in the free locker storage area on the ground floor - honestly even using the lockers with security codes was a highlight for the kids. There is also a convenient stroller park right at the entrance of the Galerie des Enfants.
I hope you can make it here - it is so worth it!
Le Centre Pompidou
Adults 14 euros; under 18 free
Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris
Open Wednesday – Monday, 11AM – 9PM; Closed Tuesdays