Louvre to hike ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%

Ticket costs for the Louvre museum in Paris will rise by 45% for many non-European Union guests, the museum’s board selected Thursday.From early subsequent 12 months, vacationers from international locations just like the US, UK and China should pay €32 ($37; £28) to enter the museum, a worth hike which is predicted to boost tens of millions of euros yearly to fund an overhaul of the well-known gallery.The museum’s safety and administration have confronted criticism since a brazen heist in October, when a four-person gang stole jewelry price $102m (£76m) and fled inside minutes.An official audit of the museum revealed shortly after the heist highlighted the establishment’s insufficient safety programs and ageing infrastructure.From 14 January, guests from international locations exterior the European Financial Space – a gaggle which incorporates EU member states, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein – pays an additional €10 to enter the world’s most visited museum.Non-EU guests in teams with accredited guides may also need to pay €28 beginning subsequent 12 months, the Louvre informed the BBC.The worth hike is predicted to boost between €15m and €20m annually to assist the museum’s modernisation plans, it added.The Louvre obtained almost 9 million guests final 12 months, with the bulk coming from overseas. Greater than a tenth of its guests are from the US and round 6% from China, in response to the museum.There have been longstanding calls to handle the museum’s capability to accommodate crowds, with guests typically complaining of congested galleries and lengthy queues.In January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre introduced enhancements to the museum, and instructed greater charges for non-EU residents in 2026.Macron additionally stated the Mona Lisa can be moved to a brand new area to take care of overcrowding.Many of the Louvre’s 30,000 day by day guests flock to see Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. Crowds squeeze by the Salle des États – the gallery the place the Mona Lisa is displayed – leaving every customer solely moments to view the portray and snap a photograph.The Louvre may also renovate different areas of the museum and add new facilities like bathrooms and eating places – upgrades that are projected to value a number of hundred million euros.Earlier this month, the Louvre introduced the closure of a gallery showcasing Greek ceramics because of structural considerations.The investigation after October’s heist discovered the museum had spent considerably extra on shopping for new artworks, however far much less on upkeep and restoration.