French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a large-scale reconstruction of the Louvre as part of the New Renaissance project. The famous museum will get a new entrance, updated infrastructure, and a separate room for the main exhibit - the Mona Lisa painting.
This is reported by the BBC, by UNN.
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According to media reports, France has announced plans for a large-scale reconstruction of the Louvre, which ranks first in the ranking of the most visited museums in the world.
During the reconstruction, the Louvre's most famous exhibit, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, will be moved to a new building, where the painting can be viewed separately from the rest of the museum's collection, for a fee. In particular, Emmanuel Macron announced such grandiose plans for the museum's reconstruction .
The museum also plans to create a second entrance for tourists to relieve some of the congestion at the main entrance, through the famous glass pyramid in the square in front of the palace. The concept of the new entrance will be developed based on the results of a specially held international architectural competition.
According to Macron, all the work should take about five years, and the renovated Louvre will open its doors to visitors no later than 2031.
The price of tickets for tourists living outside the European Union, including the British, will also increase. The change in ticket prices is expected to take effect in January 2026.
The New Renaissance project was a response to complaints from Louvre director Laurence de Carre that the museum was facing serious problems, primarily overcrowding in the face of a crumbling infrastructure. About 30,000 people come to see the Mona Lisa alone every day, and the average time spent viewing the painting through the crowds is only 50 seconds.
The new entrance will open access to new underground exhibition spaces that will be located under the inner square of the Cour Carré Palace and will, in turn, be connected to the main area, the entrance to which is located under the pyramid.
According to Macron, the facade redesign is the biggest change in the museum's appearance in the last 40 years, since François Mitterrand's Grand Louvre project. The palace esplanade is planned to be planted with trees, effectively turning it into a park, which is in line with the city hall's plans to green the central part of the French capital.
Moving the Mona Lisa to the new location will allow the painting to be properly displayed, while making it easier for visitors to view other masterpieces in the museum's collection, which Macron said are too often overlooked.
Over the next few years, the Louvre's internal infrastructure will also be significantly updated and expanded. The plans include the modernization of old and construction of new toilets, restaurants and recreation areas.
The total cost of the project is estimated at several hundred million euros.
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