During the summer of 2025, Celine associated her name with one of the last major events organized in the historic Centre Pompidou building before its closure for renovation.
Dubbed "Free Access by Celine," the initiative allowed the public to visit the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition free of charge. Nothing had prepared us for it – everything had, during four exceptional days: June 13, July 3, August 28, and September 22, 2025.
Each day ran from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. An unusual length, designed to allow different audiences to discover the work of the German photographer and to enjoy the spaces of Beaubourg one last time before they close for the season.
The operation, however, deserves to be described in detail. Celine did not make the Centre Pompidou free for the entire summer. The fashion house funded four specific dates, primarily dedicated to the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition located on level 2.
What exactly was "Open Access by Celine"?
Celine's free access program was a one-off cultural partnership between the fashion house and the Centre Pompidou. Celine was presented as the main partner of the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition. According to the institution, these free days were conceived as an open invitation to all audiences and as an opportunity to discover the artist's world before the Parisian building closed. This was the first official collaboration between Celine and the Centre Pompidou. The program should therefore not be confused with the permanent free admission programs of national museums, nor with a new pricing policy of the Centre Pompidou.
It was based on three elements:
- a major contemporary art exhibition ;
- four days of free entry;
- a private partnership allowing temporary expansion of access to the project.
As of the date of this article's update, no new edition of "Open Access by Celine" has been announced by the publisher or by the Centre Pompidou.
What were the four free dates?
The dates had been officially announced at the launch of the exhibition.
| Date | Schedules | Special feature |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 13, 2025 | 11am – 11pm | Opening of the exhibition |
| Thursday, July 3, 2025 | 11am – 11pm | First summer date |
| Thursday, August 28, 2025 | 11am – 11pm | Free end-of-summer day |
| Monday, September 22, 2025 | 11am – 11pm | Closing of the exhibition |
Online booking was strongly recommended, even though the program was presented under the name "Free Access". This precaution allowed the institution to regulate visitor flow in an exhibition occupying a particularly large space.
The final day, September 22, had an additional symbolic dimension: it marked the closing of the exhibition and the closure of the building to the public before its renovation.
Free admission focused on the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition
The initial communication might have given the impression that Celine was opening the entire museum and its collections free of charge. The reality was more nuanced. The core of the program was the Wolfgang Tillmans, installed across the entire second floor of the former Public Information Library. The Centre Pompidou also presented these days as an opportunity to enjoy its spaces before closing, but the booking page clearly identified the exhibition as the primary destination.
Therefore, to avoid any ambiguity, it is preferable to speak of free days dedicated to the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, rather than of permanent or unrestricted free access to the entire institution.
This detail is also important for readers who are discovering the article today: the event ended on September 22, 2025 and tickets are no longer available.
Wolfgang Tillmans is investing in 6,000 m² of the former Bpi
Titled Nothing Prepared Us – Everything Prepared Us, the exhibition ran from June 13 to September 22, 2025.Wolfgang Tillmans took over the 6,000 square meters of level 2, formerly occupied by the Public Information Library. Rather than concealing the space's former function, the artist worked with its architecture, furnishings, and history of knowledge transmission. The exhibition did not follow a traditional chronological order. It combined photographs of widely varying formats with reading tables, texts, videos, music, printed documents, and objects from the artist's personal archives.
The exhibition explored over thirty-five years of creative work across several genres:
- the portrait;
- still life;
- architecture;
- the documentary;
- photographic abstraction;
- the animated image;
- sound and editing.
This diversity helps to understand why Tillmans does not consider photography solely as a framed image. For him, the arrangement of the works, the quality of the paper, the relationships of scale, and the visitor's movement are integral parts of the artistic process.
Why was this exhibition exceptional?
The project was Wolfgang Tillmans' first major institutional solo exhibition in Paris since his show at the Palais de Tokyo in 2002.Born in 1968 in Remscheid, Germany, the artist first gained recognition in the early 1990s with images closely linked to British youth, electronic music, and alternative cultures. His work has since expanded to encompass abstraction, landscape, architecture, politics, and media transformations.
In 2000, he became the first non-British artist to receive the Turner Prize. He was subsequently the subject of major retrospectives at the Tate Modern in London in 2017 and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2022.
TheCentre Pompidou exhibition came at a particular time. Wolfgang Tillmans was not only meant to fill a museum: he was meant to accompany the gradual closure of a building that had itself become an icon of contemporary architecture.
The former library provided a suitable setting for an artist attached to books, magazines, archives, and the circulation of images. The space functioned simultaneously as an exhibition hall, a collective memory, and artistic material.
Why did Celine partner with the Centre Pompidou?
Celine is a French fashion and leather goods house founded in 1945.It belongs to the LVMH group and is headquartered on Rue Vivienne in Paris. Its participation in the exhibition can be seen as an extension of its cultural reach. A luxury brand no longer builds its identity solely through clothing, bags, or advertising campaigns. It also seeks to situate itself within a broader framework of artistic, architectural, and cultural heritage. The partnership with the Centre Pompidou offered several advantages.
For the institution, private support made it possible to offer several free admission periods and attract visitors who might not have otherwise purchased a ticket. For Celine, the initiative created a close connection with a major figure in contemporary photography and with one of Europe's leading museums of modern and contemporary art.
For the public, it temporarily removed the barrier of price and transformed the visit into a collective event. This encounter was therefore not based on the creation of a spin-off product or the transformation of the exhibition into a commercial space. The Celine name appeared as that of the partner making admission free. To follow the collections and projects of the house, Luxe Daily compiles its analyses on its page dedicated to Celine.
Luxury and contemporary art: a relationship that has become strategic
The relationship between luxury brands and cultural institutions is not new. However, it is taking increasingly diverse forms. Some companies create their own foundations. Others finance restorations, commission artworks, support exhibitions, or leverage their networks for events.
In Celine's case, free access was the central message. The brand wasn't just promising an experience reserved for its customers: it was associating its name with open access for a much wider public.
This distinction is important. A cultural event can quickly appear promotional when the brand's presence overshadows the artworks. Here, the arrangement remained clear: Celine funded free admission days, while the Centre Pompidou retained scientific and curatorial control of the exhibition.
From a brand strategy perspective, this relative discretion strengthens the partnership's credibility. The company is not seeking to replace the institution; it is positioning itself as a facilitator.
This logic can be compared to other encounters between luxury and contemporary creation analyzed by Luxe Daily, notably the Gerhard Richter retrospective at the Louis Vuitton Foundation or the exhibition devoted to Alexander Calder.
Can we speak of cultural patronage?
The term "sponsorship" is frequently used to describe any relationship between a brand and a museum. However, caution is advised. The official documents consulted present Celine as the main partner and mention exceptional support for the exhibition. They do not publicly detail the financial or legal structure of the partnership.
It is therefore more accurate to speak of cultural partnership and support for free access.
Philanthropy, in the French legal sense, is subject to specific criteria, notably the absence of any commercial benefit equivalent to the donation. A partnership or sponsorship agreement, on the other hand, may provide visibility commensurate with the funding. Without publication of the contract, it would be risky to assign a definitive legal classification to the arrangement.
The context of the closure of the Centre Pompidou
The Celine days took place in the final months of the building's opening, designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. Opened to the public in 1977, the Centre Pompidou has become one of Paris's most recognizable landmarks thanks to its exposed structure, colorful pipes, and grand exterior escalator.
The building closed to the public on September 22, 2025, before a final celebratory event held on October 24 and 25. The renovations, undertaken as part of the Centre Pompidou 2030 project, will focus on the façades, asbestos removal, fire safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency. Reopening is scheduled for 2030.
The Centre Pompidou nevertheless continues its activities outside its walls thanks to the Constellation, which distributes exhibitions, shows and educational projects in different partner institutions in France and abroad.
TheCeline operation thus had a dual function: to open an important exhibition free of charge and to accompany a historic moment in the life of the museum.
What audience was the initiative seeking to reach?
The Centre Pompidou described the event as an invitation open to all audiences. The elimination of the admission fee was particularly appealing to:
- students and young professionals;
- families;
- occasional visitors;
- photography enthusiasts;
- audiences attracted by Celine but not very familiar with museums;
- tourists present in Paris during the summer.
Extending the opening hours until 11 p.m. also allowed access for people unavailable during regular hours. This arrangement made the visit more akin to a late-night cultural event than a simple free entry. The duration and monumental scale of the installation further justified dedicating several hours to exploring it.
No official reports detailing attendance figures for the four Celine days were published in the sources consulted. Therefore, without additional data, it is impossible to determine whether the event resulted in a specific increase in visitor numbers or whether it appealed to a particular demographic.
Is free access enough to democratize art?
Free access removes an obvious barrier, but it does not by itself solve all the questions of access to culture.
Geographical distance, knowledge of the programming, feelings of legitimacy, working hours or difficulty in understanding certain artistic discourses can also deter visitors.
An operation like Open Access becomes truly useful when it is accompanied by clear communication, mediation tools and an accessible booking system.
In the case of Wolfgang Tillmans, the multiplicity of media offered several points of entry. A visitor could be interested in documentary photography, portraits, abstract images, music or the history of the library.
The project thus demonstrated that democratization does not necessarily consist of simplifying works. It can also consist of multiplying the ways in which they can be encountered.
Will the initiative be renewed?
At its launch, the Centre Pompidou presented the initiative as a unique partnership project. No official announcement has yet confirmed whether Accès libre par Celine will be transformed into an annual or permanent program.
The building's closure also makes it impossible to hold the exhibition at the same location before it reopens. Celine could, however, choose to support other institutions, exhibitions, or artistic projects. This remains a strategic possibility and not confirmed information.
Frequently Asked Questions about Celine and the Centre Pompidou
Was the Centre Pompidou free thanks to Celine?
Celine funded four free days related to the Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition. This was not a permanent free admission to the museum throughout the summer.
What were the dates of Celine's Open Access?
The four days took place on June 13, July 3, August 28 and September 22, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Which exhibition could be visited for free?
The program was primarily dedicated to Wolfgang Tillmans. Nothing had prepared us for it – Everything had prepared us for it, installed on the 6,000 m² of level 2 of the former Bpi.
Should we have booked a ticket?
Entry was free, but prior booking was strongly recommended by the Centre Pompidou.
Is the event still available?
No. The exhibition and the Free Access program ended on September 22, 2025.
Is the Pompidou Centre currently open?
The main Beaubourg building is closed for renovation. The Centre Pompidou's activities continue in various partner venues through the Constellation program, with the building scheduled to reopen in 2030.
Does Celine belong to LVMH?
Yes. Celine is a French fashion and leather goods house belonging to the LVMH group.
Key takeaways
Celine's free access was neither a permanent campaign nor a series of weekends on unspecified dates.
The program was based on four precisely announced free days, organized between June 13 and September 22, 2025. They allowed people to discover the monumental exhibition of Wolfgang Tillmans, designed in the 6,000 m² of the former Public Information Library.
The initiative combined three narratives: that of an artist questioning the circulation of images, that of a luxury brand seeking to deepen its cultural territory, and that of a museum about to close for a major renovation.
Celine's role was less to transform the exhibition than to temporarily broaden access to it. This positioning explains the project's coherence: the fashion house provided visibility and support, while the Centre Pompidou preserved the primacy of the artworks and the artistic discourse.
In the context of contemporary luxury, this operation illustrates a significant evolution. A brand's value is no longer measured solely by the rarity of its products. It also depends on the venues, artists, and cultural experiences it chooses to associate itself with.
Official French sources
- Centre Pompidou – Wolfgang Tillmans, “Nothing prepared us for it – Everything prepared us for it” : exhibition dates, program. Free access by Celine, opening hours and practical information.
- Centre Pompidou – The Centre Pompidou is undergoing a metamorphosis : closure of the building, renovation and reopening announced for 2030.
- LVMH – official page of the Celine fashion house : belonging to the group, date of creation and Parisian location.
