Centre Pompidou Málaga in Málaga, Spain

© Wim Wiskerke/Alam

What's beneath this cube?. International Museum Day

On International Museum Day, we're looking at the Centre Pompidou Málaga in Spain, an offshoot of the modern art museum in Paris. The piece we see here, El Cubo, created by French artist Daniel Buren, is the only part of the museum that's visible above ground. The glass cube functions as a multicoloured skylight, its panels projecting tinted light into the subterranean museum's courtyard below. This location was introduced in 2015 as a pop-up branch - a temporary, underground space for exhibitions and workshops dedicated to younger audiences. Originally scheduled for a five-year run, it was extended until 2025.

International Museum Day began in 1977, with participating museums, galleries and similar institutions offering free or reduced admission, as well as programmes to highlight the work they do. In 2020, the format was adapted to focus on virtual activities and this year will offer a mix of online, hybrid, and in-person events. As museums around the world begin to re-open their doors, this year's theme is The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine.