(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Giacometti Museum is set to open in 2028 on the Esplanade des Invalides, a vast green expanse in central Paris. It is a prestigious location for Alberto Giacometti, an artist who spent most of his life working in a modest 16-square-metre studio. Is the new space too luxurious for such a minimalist figure? The question is stirring debate. This content was published on November 1, 2025 - 10:00 6 minutes Mathieu van Berchem, Paris

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The future Giacometti Museum will be established in 2028 in a rather imperial part of Paris. Overlooking the Seine, the site is part of a grand architectural axis stretching from the ornate Pont Alexandre III – a bridge built in honour of a Russian tsar – to Les Invalides, home to Napoleon's tomb. It's a neighbourhood of gold-leaf facades, military history, and embassies, including the Swiss embassy, just 100 metres or so away.

The museum will occupy the former Invalides train station, which is currently undergoing renovation. At present, only metro passengers still pass through, navigating scaffolding and accompanied by the sound of jackhammers. It's still only a decade since Parisians came here to get vaccinations before travel, or to board buses to Orly Airport.

Once completed, the building's 6,000 square metres will house several versions of Walking Man and many other works by the iconic Swiss artist.

To be exact, half the space will be used for shops, restaurants, and educational activities, while the other half will be dedicated to exhibitions. That means 3,000 square metres for Giacometti: it's impressive, but is it also a bit over the top?

The Alberto and Annette Giacometti Foundation, which will manage the museum, welcomes the prospect of so much space. Until now, it had to make do with the charming but tiny Giacometti Institute. But others lament the grand scale of the project and regret the artist's departure from Paris's more down-to-earth 14th arrondissement.

More More Culture Giacometti museum and school to be built in Paris

This content was published on Nov 14, 2022 The Giacometti Museum & School will be created in Paris in 2026, bringing together the largest collection in the world of works by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966).

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