Marie Curie’s Historic Building to Be Moved, Not Destroyed, for Cancer Center, France

A small Paris building that was once used by double Nobel laureate Marie Curie will be relocated instead of being demolished, according to French Culture Minister Rachida Dati. The Pavillon des Sources will be moved brick by brick a few meters away, said Dati, in an effort to resolve the ongoing debate surrounding its fate. The Institut Curie plans to construct a state-of-the-art cancer research center at the site, but history enthusiasts have expressed their concerns about the destruction of a building that played a significant role in Curie’s groundbreaking work on radiation over a century ago. Dati’s predecessor had previously put the demolition plans on hold while searching for a compromise. The decision to relocate the building has been welcomed as a solution that allows for the development and modernization of the cancer center while preserving the historical significance of the Pavillon des Sources. The director of Institut Curie, Thierry Philip, has maintained that Curie herself primarily used the building for storing radioactive waste. However, the Curie museum argues that the pavilion was also utilized for training individuals in the production of radium capsules, which were crucial in treating wounds of soldiers during World War I. The approval to demolish the Pavillon des Sources had been granted by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who Dati, her political rival, hopes to unseat in the 2026 municipal elections. Through the decision to relocate the building, a compromise has been reached that not only satisfies the need for progress in cancer research but honors the legacy of Marie Curie and her pioneering contributions to the field of radiation.