Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa will be relocated to a new specially designed area within the Musée du Louvre in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Tuesday. Visitors will have to buy a separate ticket to see the world's most famous portrait.
During a visit to the world's most visited museum in Paris, Macron unveiled a plan called 'Nouvelle Renaissance du Louvre' (New Renaissance of the Louvre) to address the alarming state of decay and the substantial visitor numbers which are resulting in complaints.
Standing in front of the Italian painter's masterpiece, he confirmed that the Mona Lisa would be placed in a new room, separated from the rest of the museum. This would require visitors to buy another ticket.
Macron also tasked Culture Minister Rachida Dati with preparing a higher differentiated fee for visitors from non-EU countries from 1 January 2026.
As part of the plan, a new grand entrance will be constructed on the eastern façade of the Louvre to alleviate long queues at the iconic glass pyramid. An architectural competition will be held to design the new entrance. The aim is to inaugurate it by 2031, Macron stated.
The renovated Louvre aims to attract around 12 million visitors annually, compared to nearly nine million in 2024.