Starting next year, tourists from countries such as the US, UK, and China will have to pay €32 ($37; £28) for museum admission. The price increase is expected to generate millions of euros annually to fund the renovation of the famous gallery. This was reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
The museum's administration and security service faced criticism after a brazen robbery in October, when a gang of four stole $102 million (£76 million) worth of jewelry and escaped within minutes.
An official audit of the museum, published after the robbery, pointed to inadequate security systems and outdated infrastructure.
From January 14, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area (which includes EU states, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) will pay an additional €10 for admission to the world's most visited museum.
Tourists from outside the EU who visit the museum in groups with accredited guides will also pay €28 starting next year, the Louvre told the BBC.
The price increase is expected to generate €15 to €20 million annually to support the museum's modernization plans.
Last year, almost 9 million people visited the Louvre, most of them tourists from abroad. More than a tenth of visitors come from the US and about 6% from China, according to the museum.
There have long been calls to improve the museum's ability to accommodate large flows of visitors, as tourists often complain about overcrowded galleries and long queues.
Addition
In January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre announced improvements to the museum and proposed increasing fees for non-EU residents in 2026.
Macron also announced that the "Mona Lisa" would be moved to a new space to avoid visitor overload.
Most of the Louvre's 30,000 daily visitors seek to see Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece. Crowds jostle in the Salle des États — the gallery where the "Mona Lisa" is displayed, leaving each visitor only a few seconds to view and photograph.
The Louvre also plans to renovate other parts of the museum and add new amenities such as restrooms and restaurants — a modernization estimated to cost hundreds of millions of euros.
Earlier this month, the museum announced the closure of its Greek pottery gallery due to structural safety concerns.
An investigation after the October robbery revealed that the museum spent significantly more on acquiring new artworks, but much less on maintenance and restoration.