Campaigners criticise ‘absurd’ plan to take apart and rebuild Curie lab in Paris
Campaigners battling to save part of Marie Curie’s Paris laboratory have said the decision to take it apart brick by brick and rebuild it is “totally absurd”.
They warned that once the Pavillon des Sources is dismantled under the “compromise” plan announced by the new culture minister last week, it is unlikely to be restored.
They will make a last-ditch appeal on Monday to the French government and the president, Emmanuel Macron, to preserve the pavilion, one of the few remaining buildings that was used by the Nobel prize-winning scientist.
Stéphane Bern, appointed by Macron as France’s heritage tsar, said the decision made a “complete mockery” of Curie’s work and memory. “We say we want to defend the legacy of women and women in science and it’s just a lot of words. Here we have a chance to act to defend Marie Curie’s legacy,” he said.
“I have not stopped alerting the president to this. He said he would look at the file and all he’s done is ask the minister to convince me that this plan is a good one. Well, I am not convinced.”
