[2] The building is remarkable for its roof structure, one of the largest and most complex built to date, which was inspired by a Chinese hat found in Paris by Shigeru Ban.

It possesses three rectangular galleries (Gallery 1, 2, and 3) weaving through the building at different levels, jutting out through the roof with huge picture windows angled towards landmarks such as the Saint-Stephen Gothic cathedral, the Imperial railway station, the Arsenal Concert Hall built by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill, the Arènes indoor sport arena built by French architect Paul Chemetov, and the Seille park.

With a surface area of 8,000 m2 (86,000 sq ft), the roof structure is composed of sixteen kilometres of glued laminated timber, that intersect to form hexagonal wooden units resembling the cane-work pattern of a Chinese hat.

[6] The Centre Pompidou-Metz includes also a restaurant terrace, for which French designer Patrick Jouin and Kenyan architect Sanjit Manku produced interior spaces inspired by the image of a kaleidoscope.

The district of 50 ha (123.6 acres), thought by French architects Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Paul Viguier, and Christian de Portzamparc, and designer Philippe Starck, is currently under construction and includes the edification of a convention centre and a shopping mall.

In addition to the temporary exhibitions, the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum features seasonal programming with contemporary live shows in its theater and organizes meetings and conferences in its auditorium with worldly recognized, as well as, local artists.

Also, the museum is located near the Imperial railway station of Metz, which is connected to the French high speed train network via the LGV East line, which provides a direct rail service to Paris and the city of Luxembourg.

The exhibition's staging provides an overview of the primary movements in art since the start of the 20th century, from Pablo Picasso to Anish Kapoor including Sam Francis, Joseph Beuys, Dan Flavin, and Joan Miró.