Macron announces major overhaul to modernise Louvre and dedicated room for Mona Lisa

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the Louvre Museum will establish a dedicated exhibition hall for the "Mona Lisa." He stated that the Louvre will undergo a large-scale renovation and expansion, a project expected to take several years to complete.

Speaking from the Louvre hall where the "Mona Lisa" is displayed, on Tuesday (early Wednesday AEST), Macron said the renovation will include a new entrance near the Seine River, scheduled to open in 2031, and the construction of underground exhibition halls. Macron did not disclose the cost of this modernization, but it is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of euros to address the issues of overcrowding and outdated facilities at the world's most visited museum.

The Louvre's last major renovation dates back to the 1980s, when the iconic glass pyramid first appeared. Today, the museum no longer meets international standards. Louvre director Laurence des Cars had previously sent a memo to Culture Minister Rachida Dati expressing concerns about the museum's "obsolescence," pointing out that leaks, temperature variations, and other issues were gradually damaging the building and "endangering the preservation of artworks."

According to documents first revealed by the French newspaper Le Parisien, des Cars emphasized that the pyramid, serving as the museum's entrance, was built in 1989 as part of the late President François Mitterrand's project and now appears outdated. The site is poorly insulated, amplifies noise, and makes both public spaces and staff uncomfortable. Additionally, the museum faces inadequate catering and restroom facilities.

A French presidential official stated, "We face a common challenge: how to adapt the Louvre to expectations, welcome visitors from all over the world in comfortable conditions, and commit to art and cultural education?" The official could not be named due to French presidential protocol. The funding required for such a large-scale renovation is yet to be determined, but any renovation of the former royal palace is expected to be costly and technically complex.

Another major museum in Paris, the Centre Pompidou, will also close for a five-year renovation project costing 262 million euros (approximately 437.5 million AUD), starting at the end of this year. Half of the Louvre's budget is funded by the French government, including the salaries of 2,200 employees. The other half comes from private funding, including ticket sales, revenue from restaurants and shops, special event bookings, and sponsors and other partners, including funding from the United Arab Emirates for the use of the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum brand.

Questions have also been raised about how the "Mona Lisa" is displayed in the museum. Des Cars requested a "re-evaluation" of this issue, suggesting moving the museum's most popular exhibit to another hall specifically dedicated to it. Macron stated that this is exactly what will happen. The "Mona Lisa" is currently displayed in the museum's largest hall, surrounded by protective glass, with long queues and noisy visitors eager to take selfies with Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, causing many to overlook other paintings in the hall by great Venetian painters such as Titian and Veronese.

The Louvre's last major renovation in the 1980s was designed to accommodate 4 million visitors annually. Last year, the Louvre received 8.7 million visitors, more than three-quarters of whom were foreigners from the United States, China, and neighboring countries Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain.