The courtyard of Le Louvre museum is pictured Monday, Jan 27, 2025, in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The world’s most famous painting is about to get an upgrade! French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled an ambitious plan to revamp the iconic Louvre Museum, ensuring Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa finally gets the star treatment she deserves.
Under the sweeping “Louvre New Renaissance” project, the museum—already the most visited in the world—will undergo a massive modernization over the next decade, including a brand-new entrance near the Seine River and a dedicated room for the enigmatic masterpiece.
A More Seamless Louvre Experience
If you’ve ever fought through crowds just to catch a glimpse of that famous half-smile, you’ll appreciate this change. The Mona Lisa is currently housed in a crowded hall, with visitors jostling for the perfect selfie, often ignoring the other masterpieces around them. But that’s about to change!
Macron confirmed that da Vinci’s painting will soon have a space all to itself, accessible via a special ticket. This move will not only enhance the viewing experience for her admirers but also ease congestion in the museum’s busiest galleries.
“The Mona Lisa deserves display conditions worthy of her stature,” Macron emphasized, highlighting that the museum overhaul aims to improve both accessibility and comfort.
A Pricey but Necessary Transformation
Though Macron remained tight-lipped on the exact budget, estimates suggest the Louvre museum renovation could cost up to 800 million euros ($834 million). Given that the Louvre was originally revamped in the 1980s to accommodate 4 million annual visitors—but now welcomes more than 8.7 million a year—the transformation is long overdue.
To finance the project, the French government will lean on a mix of ticket sales, patronage, and licensing fees from the museum’s Abu Dhabi branch. Ticket prices for non-European visitors are also set to rise from 22 euros ($23) to help fund the improvements.
A design competition will be launched soon, and some new underground galleries will be created as part of the expansion and renovation of the louvre museum.
Louvre’s Wear and Tear: Time for a Fix-Up
The announcement follows recent concerns raised by Louvre Director Laurence des Cars, who warned that parts of the museum are showing their age. In a note to the Culture Minister, she flagged serious issues like water leaks, fluctuating temperatures, and outdated facilities—all of which threaten the preservation of priceless artworks.
Even the famous glass pyramid, which once symbolized modernity when it debuted in 1989, is now seen as poorly insulated and amplifying noise, making it an uncomfortable space for both visitors and staff. Complaints about limited food options and restroom facilities have also been on the rise.
A Historic Transformation on Par with Notre Dame
Macron compared the project to the recent restoration of Notre Dame, noting that once completed, the renewed Louvre will be “the epicenter of art history, both in France and globally.”
With government funding covering about half the museum’s budget, and the rest coming from private investments and revenue streams, the goal is to turn the Louvre into a world-class, future-proofed institution.
For now, visitors will have to navigate the museum in its current state—but in a decade, they can expect a Louvre that is bigger, better, and more comfortable, with Mona Lisa reigning supreme in her own exclusive gallery.
