Need for tweed: what to wear to a shooting party
12 February 2025
The Getaway: Unexpected five-star resorts
13 February 2025Bringing history to the present
Emmanuel Macron unveils ambitious plans to transform the Louvre.
Words: Dan Hayes
T he Louvre Museum in Paris will benefit from a major refurbishment over the coming decade, French president Emmanuel Macron has announced.
The move comes after the museum’s director, Laurence Des Cars, told journalists the world-famous venue was becoming increasingly dilapidated; potentially posing risk to visitors, employees and artworks alike.
She highlighted overcrowding, inadequate seating, excess heat and damp and catering that fell “well below international standards”. The museum’s iconic glass pyramid entrance, designed by architect Ieoh Ming Pei and opened in 1989, was also in the firing line for being both noisy and acting like a greenhouse in hot weather.
In response, President Macron last month announced the Louvre would be given a comprehensive overhaul, creating a new entrance, improving the visitor experience and providing the Mona Lisa with a new, dedicated space.
The plan, entitled the Nouvelle Renaissance, is predicted to cost between €700m-800m (around £675m) and will be funded largely by the museum’s “own resources”, including ticket sales and private donations. Visitors from non-EU countries are also set to be charged an increased rate as of next year.
The Louvre was built in the 12th century as a fortress before Francis I turned it into a palace 400 years later. It wasn’t until Louis XIV moved the royal residence to Versailles in 1682 that the 73,000sqm, three-wing building became a home for the royal art collection.
Macron said the redevelopment would allow the Louvre to welcome 12 million individuals per year, a substantial increase on the 8.7 million who passed through its doors in 2024.
Another of Paris’ leading museums, the Centre Pompidou, will close shortly for a €262m renovation that is expected to take at least five years.
Designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers and home to Europe’s largest contemporary art collection, the venue first opened its doors in 1977. It has been one of the signature attractions of the French capital ever since.