Big Changes at the World's Most Popular Museum!

More people visit the Louvre in Paris than any other museum in the world. The French President has announced a sweeping renovation plan for the iconic institution, to the tune of about 800 million euros over the next decade. 

It’s hard to believe that the last time the Louvre had a makeover was over 30 years ago! That’s when I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid was added to the courtyard to serve as the museum’s main entrance. 

Remember when that contemporary glass pyramid in the courtyard of the 16th-century royal palace in the heart of historic Paris was controversial? Now, next to the Eiffel Tower, it’s the most iconic view of Paris. 

But when that pyramid entrance was opened in 1989, it was designed for 4 million visitors a year. That number now is actually closer to 10 million – and rising, with visitation expected to reach 12 million annually in the coming years. 

So it does seem time to rethink and update this global treasure of culture. 

Here’s what’s planned for the Louvre – and how it could affect your visit. 

A New Entrance

In addition to the entrance through the pyramid, a new entrance will be built at on the east side of Colonnade de Perrault, a historic section of the Louvre, to take the pressure off and disperse the crowds at the pyramid entrance. 

The new entrance will replace the pyramid as the main entrance and will reconnect the Louvre entrance to the city of Paris.

A New Home for the Mona Lisa

10 million people every year visit the world’s most famous work of art. Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is the most popular woman on the planet – and large crowds in her current gallery are making viewing the 16th-century painting difficult. 

The Mona Lisa is, in fact, quite small, and crowding means some people end up using the zoom function on their cameras just to get a glimpse of the artwork they came to the museum just to see. 

The Mona Lisa will now get her own, specially designed gallery beneath the Cour Carrée, a square courtyard inside the Louvre. It will have its own entrance – and require a specific ticket. 

That lets visitors choose to see the Mona Lisa independently of the rest of the Louvre’s galleries. 

Louvre officials also say that will allow visitors to appreciate the ‘other Mona Lisa’s’ at the Louvre, including the masterpieces currently sharing the same space as the Mona Lisa, which are often ignored as crowds jostle to see the Mona Lisa. 

New Galleries

Along with the new gallery just for the Mona Lisa, additional galleries will be built beneath the Cour Carrée. The new underground spaces will allow for special exhibitions and expanded gallery space without detracting from the Louvre’s historic exterior (as in: no extensions!) 

That will allow the Louvre to show more of its vast collection and rotate temporary, themed exhibits. 

Curb Appeal

The Louvre will undergo a makeover on the outside, too. 

The area around the museum, called the Esplanade will be redesigned to integrate better with the city surrounding it, like the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. 

Restoration of the Carrousel and Tuileries gardens is also planned, with a full revitalization of the famous gardens with new plantings of trees and flowers more pathways and seating areas to welcome visitors before or after their museum visit. 

Or just to walk hand in hand with their lover through the green space as Parisians have done for centuries. 

The Cour Carrée is in need of repairs, too, to restore its historic features and accommodate the new entrance. 

Higher Ticket Prices

You guessed it. A lot of the funding for these expensive renovations will need to come from the visitors themselves. 

Beginning January 1, 2026, anyone visiting the Louvre from outside the EU will pay more to get inside. The amount of the increase has not yet been announced. 

Other sources of funding for the renovations will come from donations and funding from the Louvre’s partnership with the Louvre Abu Dhabi. 

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Image: Getty

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