The Musée du Louvre, the world-renowned museum in Paris, is set to raise its basic ticket prices by 30% starting from January 15, 2023. This significant price adjustment, the first since 2017, comes as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at supporting free admission programs for specific groups of visitors and addressing the substantial increase in energy costs, which have risen by 88%.
The decision to revise ticket prices is a crucial component of the museum’s broader masterplan, spearheaded by Laurence des Cars, the Louvre’s director, to regulate visitor attendance, especially with the approaching Summer Olympics. It is anticipated that visitor figures for this year will reach approximately 8.7 million, a decline from the record-breaking 10.2 million visitors recorded in 2018. Remarkably, around 80% of Louvre visitors come primarily to view the iconic masterpiece, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
The price increase is designed to provide financial support for free entry programs benefiting specific categories of visitors. Among those eligible for free admission are art history teachers, visitors under 18 from the European Union, employees of the French Ministry of Culture, and disabled visitors.
“In 2023, more than 3.6 million visitors—primarily French, hailing from Ile-de-France and Parisians—will have the opportunity to access the collections and exhibitions of the world’s largest museum for free,” stated the Louvre in a press release.
Notably, Laurence des Cars has also taken measures to manage crowd congestion within the museum. The daily attendance cap for this year has been reduced to 30,000 visitors, down from the pre-pandemic high of 45,000. In addition, plans have been unveiled for a new entrance on the eastern façade of the Louvre, with the goal of alleviating congestion around the iconic Louvre Pyramid, designed by the late architect I.M. Pei.
This price adjustment and attendance regulation initiatives reflect the Louvre’s commitment to preserving the quality of the visitor experience, ensuring accessibility to diverse audiences, and addressing operational challenges such as rising energy costs.
As the Louvre prepares for the Olympics and continues its mission as a cultural beacon, these strategic changes aim to strike a balance between sustaining the museum’s historic significance and providing a world-class experience for art enthusiasts from around the globe.
