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Mona Lisa To Be Relocated During Louvre Renovation

The Mona Lisa will be relocated as part of a major Louvre renovation, addressing overcrowding and infrastructure issues, and enhancing the museum experience.

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Mona Lisa To Be Relocated During Louvre Renovation


The Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic masterpiece, will be relocated to a new exhibition space at the Louvre in Paris as part of an extensive renovation plan for the world’s most frequented museum. French President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement in front of the famous painting, outlining his New Renaissance project, which aims to address the museum’s issues of overcrowding and failing infrastructure.

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The New Renaissance project, set to be introduced by 2031, will involve an international competition to design a second entrance to alleviate the growing pressure of visitor numbers beneath the famous glass Pyramid. The Louvre’s director, Laurence des Cars, had previously warned that the museum was suffering from grave problems due to the overwhelming number of visitors, which now exceeds nine million annually.

In a letter to the government, des Cars highlighted that the pyramid, which has served as the unique access point to the galleries since 1989, was “structurally unable to cope” with the influx of visitors. She also emphasized the need to reconsider the presentation of the Mona Lisa, as the current setup allows visitors only an average of 50 seconds to observe the painting and take photos.

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Macron announced that the Mona Lisa would be moved to a new exhibition space to allow for a better viewing experience and to make it easier to appreciate other masterpieces displayed in the Salle des Etats. The relocation is part of a broader plan to redesign the eastern facade of the museum, which currently consists of a classical colonnade fronted by an artificial moat and a little-used esplanade.

The new entrance will provide immediate access to underground exhibition spaces beneath the Cour Carré, which will connect with the area beneath the pyramid. Macron stated that this redesign, the most significant change to the museum since President François Mitterrand’s Grand Louvre project 40 years ago, would integrate the museum into the city and “give it back to the Parisians.”

The overall cost of the renovation is estimated to be several hundred million euros. Macron assured that the project would not burden taxpayers, as it would be funded through ticket sales, donations, and the museum’s sponsorship deal with the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Additionally, tariff changes will be introduced from next January, requiring non-EU residents, including UK tourists, to pay more to visit the museum.

Major renovation work will also be undertaken to modernize the museum’s infrastructure, including new toilet, restaurant, and rest facilities. Macron’s leadership in the post-fire renovation of Notre-Dame cathedral has inspired him to pursue a similar grand project at the Louvre, aiming to leave a lasting legacy.

The relocation of the Mona Lisa and the extensive renovation of the Louvre are set to transform the museum experience for millions of visitors. By addressing issues of overcrowding and infrastructure, the New Renaissance project aims to preserve the Louvre’s status as a cultural landmark while enhancing its accessibility and integration with the city of Paris.


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