The most visited museum in the world, the Louvre, is about to experience a dramatic rethink as the head of the French state, Emmanuel Macron, details plans for “redesign, restoration, and expansion” of the Parisian landmark. Against the background of modernization, Macron announced a special area, with “its own key,” for the Mona Lisa painting, in order to enhance the visitors’ experience and to protect Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece at the world’s most visited museum. The project will also consist of a “new grand entrance” to avoid crowd accumulation in front of the pyramid entrance.
Macron’s idea for the Louvre is part of his ambitious “New Renaissance” initiative, which envisages a major international architectural competition to be completed by year-end. The renovation work is due to finish in 2031 and will be at the expense of the museum’s own funds, in addition to a “premium” for non-EU visitors to be implemented from 2023.
Video of Mona Lisa painting at world’s most visited museum
The announcement comes after a leaked memo by the Director of the Louvre musée Laurence des Cars, who expressed deep anxiety at the state of the building. Water damage and temperature changes are both damaging its irreplaceable collections and structural strain is to the very fabric of the historic building. Since two times its design capacity, about 8.7 million visitors, have visited the Louvre in 2018, it is in front of some heavy challenges to handle this history.
Critics, however, argue that Macron’s action may be politically motivated, invoking his recent triumph with the restoration of Notre Dame. A government insider remarked, “He’s trying to buy popularity during a political slump. Macron’s approval ratings have plummeted to 21 per cent, the lowest since his election in 2017.
While France is preparing for this grand undertaking, the whole world is gazing intently, looking forward to understanding the way through which the visitor journey at the Louvre will be reimagined and how this will maintain its historical magnificence.
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