PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron introduced Tuesday that the “Mona Lisa” will get its personal devoted room contained in the Louvre museum beneath a serious renovation and growth of the Paris landmark that may take as much as 10 years.
The renovation venture, branded “Louvre New Renaissance,” will embody a brand new entrance close to the River Seine, to be opened by 2031, and the creation of underground rooms, Macron mentioned in a speech from the Louvre room the place Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is displayed.
Macron didn’t disclose an actual quantity budgeted for the venture to modernize probably the most visited museum on the planet, plagued with overcrowding and outdated services. However it’s estimated to succeed in as much as 800 million euros ($834 million).
The Louvre’s newest overhaul dates again to the Nineteen Eighties, when the long-lasting glass pyramid was unveiled. Now, the museum is lower than worldwide requirements anymore.
A have a look at what’s at stake:
Mona Lisa to get its personal room?
Macron mentioned the growth of the museum will enable the “Mona Lisa” to be moved to a brand new, devoted room accessible to guests by a particular ticket. That may make the go to less complicated for many who need to see the portray and ease the lifetime of different guests in the remainder of the museum, he mentioned.
The “Mona Lisa” is now being proven behind protecting glass within the museum’s largest room, overcrowded with lengthy, noisy queues of holiday makers wanting to take a selfie with Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. That makes another work within the room by the best Venetian painters like Titian and Veronese go unnoticed by many.
The museum’s newest large renovation within the Nineteen Eighties was designed to obtain 4 million annual guests.
Final yr, the Louvre obtained 8.7 million guests, over three-quarters being foreigners principally from the US, China and neighboring nations Italy, the UK, Germany and Spain.
A pricey and sophisticated overhaul
Macron mentioned a brand new entrance for the Louvre can be created close to the River Seine by 2031, to be financed by ticket gross sales, patronage and licensing cash from the museum’s Abu Dhabi department.
A design competitors is to be staged within the coming months, he mentioned. As well as, some new underground rooms can be created to increase the museum.
A French prime official mentioned the price of the renovation is estimated at 700 to 800 million euros ($730 to 834 million) over the subsequent ten years, together with half for the creation of the brand new entrance. The official couldn’t be named consistent with the French presidency’s customary practices.
Macron mentioned ticket costs can be raised for overseas guests from exterior the European Union, up from 22 euros ($23) now. He promised the museum can be safer and extra snug for each the general public and the employees.
Half the Louvre’s funds is at the moment being financed by the French state, together with the wages of the two,200 staff.
The opposite half is supplied by non-public funds together with ticket gross sales, earnings from eating places, outlets and bookings for particular occasions, in addition to patrons and different companions.
Water leaks and different injury
The renovation announcement comes after Louvre Director Laurence des Automobiles expressed her issues in a be aware to Tradition Minister Rachida Dati earlier this month saying the museum is threatened by “obsolescence.”
The pyramid that serves on the museum’s entrance, unveiled in 1989 as a part of late President François Mitterrand’s venture, now seems outdated. The place isn’t correctly insulated from the chilly and the warmth and tends to amplify noise, making the area uncomfortable for each the general public and the employees, des Automobiles confused.
As well as, the museum suffers from a scarcity of meals choices and restroom services, she mentioned.