When I visited the Louvre last November, I had the foresight to buy a €22 ticket in advance. Still, a queue zig-zagged across the Cour Napoléon as cold, restless tourists took photos beside its iconic pyramid.
Rising prices, crowds and failing facilities have turned the world’s greatest art museum into a ‘physical ordeal’. So what’s the solution?
The world-famous needs a massive injection of cash if it is to cope with visitor numbers, the museum's president has said
Art critics hailed news of the move, saying that the precious painting has stolen the spotlight for long enough.
The iconic Louvre in Paris is no stranger to crowds. Since first opening in 1793, the museum has played host to millions of guests and undergone dozens of expansions and renovations to accommodate them. Today, though, overtourism has brought the historic site to a breaking point.
Amid news of the “Mona Lisa” potentially being relocated, Francesca Caruso, cultural assessor for Italy’s Lombardy region, suggested the painting be returned to Milan, where it could be displayed alongside Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” NBC News reported.
Macron visited the museum days after Le Parisien newspapers reported on a confidential memo that the Louvre's director, Laurence des Cars, sent to Culture Minister Rachida Dati. According to the newspaper, the director warned of “a proliferation of damage to the museum’s spaces, some of which are in a very poor condition.”
The French president announced a few changes coming to the world's largest museum, in a bid to prevent overcrowding.
Statement Pieces” opened with more than 100 couture pieces from over 45 of the world’s top fashion houses, including Chanel, Hermès, Christian Dior, Jonathan Anderson, Iris van Herpen and Balenciaga.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to expand the Louvre and move the Mona Lisa to a new exhibition space, after the museum warned of overcrowding.
President Emmanuel Macron of France unveiled plans to vastly renovate the world’s biggest museum, which has endured significant wear and tear over the years.