Louvre Announces Major Renovation, Including New Entrance and Dedicated Mona Lisa Room
French President Emmanuel Macron unveils a €700-800 million plan to revamp the Louvre by 2031, addressing overcrowding and structural issues while introducing higher entry fees for non-EU visitors.
- The Louvre, the world's most visited museum, will undergo a comprehensive renovation to modernize facilities and address overcrowding, with completion targeted for 2031.
- Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa will be moved to a dedicated exhibition room with a separate entrance and specific tickets, aimed at improving the visitor experience.
- A new entrance will be constructed on the museum's eastern side to alleviate congestion at the iconic glass pyramid, which was originally designed for four million annual visitors but now sees nine million.
- The renovation project, estimated to cost between €700-800 million, will be funded through museum revenues, private donations, and increased ticket prices for non-EU visitors starting in January 2026.
- The plan includes creating additional underground exhibition spaces and addressing structural issues such as water damage and aging infrastructure to better preserve the museum's vast collection.
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