The Museum of Computing evicted from the Defense Arche

Bad news for the Museum of Computer and Video games, located on the roof of the Grande Arche. Since the end of April, they are closed due to a simple breakdown … elevator. They will not reopen on the roof of the Grande Arche, because the Department of Ecology will regain possession of the premises and close to the public.

The case is fantastic: after a “serious incident” that hit the panoramic elevators serving the building’s roof, the Department of Ecology – site owner – decided as a precaution to prevent access these elevators for four months, the time to make repairs.

For fifteen days, we tolerate that visitors come to museums through elevators located in the columns of the ark. But “April 24, the department decided that we had the right to use the other lifts,” says Philippe Nieuwbourg, director of the Museum Informatics. Obvious consequence: the museums, and the restaurant that sits atop the Ark must close for four months, time to repair the famous panoramic elevators.
The temporary closure to the final closure

Four months, or never? The museum officials and the restaurant are concerned: at the end of June, the museum’s video game released a statement saying that the roof of the Grande Arche “should not reopen its doors to the public, thus depriving the Hauts- de-Seine of the most visited monument in the department. ” The roof of the Arche de la Defense, popular among tourists and schoolchildren, in fact receives 250,000 people every year …

Fifteen days later, the ax falls: Nieuwbourg Philip receives a letter from Jean-Louis Borloo, officially stating that his department will recover the premises for conversion into offices and meeting rooms. “I can believe that the department needs additional space, but the roof of the Grande Arche does not seem appropriate to office: there are no windows and the ceiling height is important … I have the impression that removes museums and video games to organize the Computers department cocktails, “says Nieuwbourg who also wishes to recall that the closure of the roof of the Grande Arche will” a forty people unemployed. “