Modern Renovations for the Louvre Museum
When you think of Paris, France, you probably think of the Eiffel Tower. But the city is also the home of the Louvre–the most-visited museum in the entire world. The Louvre houses an estimated 35,000 pieces of priceless art and welcomes about 9 million visitors every year. But the ancient building is in need of serious repair. It can’t keep up with the ever-growing flood of international tourists. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a massive renovation and overhaul project that will take 10 years to complete. The project is called “Louvre New Renaissance.” Here, btw takes a closer look at the plans.
Why is This Project Important?
In the United States, a 200-year-old building is considered very old, and we would expect it to need regular repairs. But the building that houses the Louvre is nearly 1,000 years old! It was originally constructed as a fortress in the late 1100s and later became a palace for royalty. As a result, the building experiences problems such as water leaks and temperature fluctuations due to poor insulation. These structural problems could damage the priceless works of art. Climate change is another threat. The Louvre lies in a flood zone on the banks of the Seine River. In 2016, historic flooding caused an emergency and the museum’s employees had to wrap up all of the artwork and carry it to higher ground.
The museum is also overcrowded by visitors and its facilities are outdated. When it was last renovated in the 1980s, it was designed to receive about four million visitors per year. But the museum’s popularity has far outgrown its capacity. In 2024, the Louvre received 8.7 million visitors, more than twice what it was designed to hold. It is estimated that this number will rise to 12 million in the coming years. The museum also has poor sound acoustics, outdated signage, and not nearly enough food options or restrooms.
“Louvre’s New Renaissance”
There are definitely many problems. So, what will this renovation involve? The primary goal is to protect the art, while also making the experience of visiting the museum safer and more comfortable for tourists. The entrance will be the focus on a significant redesign. Currently, all visitors enter the museum through an iconic glass pyramid, which was designed in the 1980s. The pyramid, while beautiful, traps sunlight and becomes hot and overcrowded in the summertime. So, a new grand entrance will be opened up on the side of the museum that faces the Seine River. A design competition for the new entrance will begin soon, with a winner chosen by the end of 2025.
The renovation will also address the problem of visitor flow. Many international tourists come to the Louvre because they want to see its most famous piece: the Mona Lisa. But the painting is actually very small, and visitors crowd around it, trying to take pictures. The new layout will give the Mona Lisa its own room. Visitors will buy a separate ticket just to view the painting. This will improve visitor traffic flow in the rest of the museum. New underground galleries will also be created to help spread out visitors. More restrooms, increased food options, and improved security are also planned.
A Massive Undertaking
The proposed renovation will take up to a decade to complete. The expansion will take about 6 years. Repairing and upgrading the building will take another 4 years.
All told, the project could cost up to 800 million euros (the equivalent of $834 million U.S. dollars). According to President Macron, the cost will largely be covered by ticket sales, an international fundraising drive, and financing from the French government. The price of tickets for visitors from outside of the EU (European Union) will increase in January 2026 to help cover the cost.