America Center

Located in the Montparnasse district and founded in 1931 by the American Episcopalian congregation with an aim to keep young Americans living in Paris away from the sins of the city. The American Center promoted American arts and culture. The building was designed by American architect Welles Bosworth. During World War II it was occupied by the armies of France, Germany and America. From 1948 to 1950 it functioned as the American Community School.

In 1963 it began use as a cultural center and the theatre within the building screened Andy Warhol’s 8-hours long “Sleep”. It became home to Avant Garde and experimental theatrical events.

By the 1980’s the building was in need of urgent repairs and a deal was done with the city of Paris to relocate the America Center into a new building in the Bercy district designed by architect Frank Gehry which opened in 1994, but after two years fell into debt and the building was put up ‘For Sale’. The State eventually purchased the building and after extensive renovations in 2005 it became home to the Cinematheque Francaise (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures).

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