Palais de Tokyo

Palais de Tokyo, located on the Seine in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, is a landmark built for the 1937 World’s Fair. Since 1961, its eastern wing has housed the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and since 2002 the western wing has served as a vibrant site for contemporary art, with no permanent collection — the largest of its kind in Europe.

The building’s name comes from the former Avenue de Tokio (now Avenue de New‑York), which gave the location its historic identity. The western wing stood largely unused or hosted temporary institutions like the national film school and a photography center until a 2002 renovation by Lacaton & Vassal transformed it into an experimental “anti‑museum”. 

In 2012 it underwent a second metamorphosis: exhibition space tripled to around 22,000 m², infused with edgy energy, street art influences, a nightclub (Yoyo), and restaurants. Today it acts as a museum, gathering place, and cultural engine — where contemporary creativity thrives.