The iconic Louvre in Paris is no stranger to crowds. Since first opening in 1793, the museum has played host to millions of guests and undergone dozens of expansions and renovations to accommodate them. Today, though, overtourism has brought the historic site to a breaking point.
In a typical year, the Louvre is prepared to accommodate 4 million visitors. But in 2024, almost 9 million people70% of them originating from outside of Francepassed through its doors. Visiting the Louvre is a physical ordeal, museum director Laurence des Cars wrote in a widely publicized leaked memo.
Now the Louvre will now undergo a massive renovation to address overcrowding and expand its viewing capacity to 12 million annual visitors, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced. The ambitious project includes opening a new entrance on the Seine river, and dedicating a stand-alone room to house the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, to give the famed Italian Renaissance painting some breathing room.
A timeless attraction with an outdated structure
The Louvre’s proposed redesign follows a slew of critiques from des Cars and years of wear and tear to the museum’s architectural structure, which has been exacerbated by growing crowds.
There isn’t room for visitors to take a break, according to des Cars, who also assessed the museums food and restroom facilities as insufficient in volume. She added in her memo that some areas of the museum are prone to leaks, while others experience wide temperature variations, potentially impacting the preservation of the artwork within. The Louvre’s signage needs to be redesigned as well, des Cars asserted.
[Photo: Antoine Boureau/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images]
The Louvre currently has only one entrancethe iconic glass pyramid by architect I.M. Pei, opened in 1989. Overcrowding of the throughway in recent years has led to both a greenhouse-like heating effect and unpleasant sound amplification.
A similar issue has plagued staffers guarding the Mona Lisa. According to des Cars, around 20,000 people pack into the room housing the famous painting each day, resulting in massive lines and far-from-ideal viewing conditions (if you can even get close enough to catch a glimpse).
Im leaving in a state of extreme fatigue and Ive vowed never to visit again, one loyal local visitor told The Guardian. The noise is so unbearable under the glass pyramid; its like a public swimming pool. Even with a timed ticket, theres an hour to wait outside. I cant do it anymore. Museums are supposed to be fun, but its no fun anymore.
A design solution to overcrowding
At a speech delivered in front of the Mona Lisa on Tuesday, Macron introduced a plan to bring the fun back to the Louvre. In short: improve the flow of foot traffic throughout the space in order to prevent major backups.
To start, Macron announced, the renovation will include a new grand entrance at the Colonnade de Perrault on the museums western side near the Seine, finally adding an additional pathway for guests to enter the building, and relieving crowding at the pyramid entrance. The Louvre will hold a competition to choose the firm responsible for the addition, which is slated to open in 2031.
Several underground rooms will be added to boost exhibition space. And the museum will relocate its pice de résistancethe Mona Lisato its own dedicated room. That room will require a separate access pass and be independently accessible compared to the rest of the museum, Macron said.
In response to the issue of overtourism, the museum will also institute higher prices for foreign travelers. Starting on January 1, 2026, Macron announced, all guests from outside the EU will be required to pay a higher entrance fee.
These renovations come as other popular destinations like Spain, Greece, Italy, and Germany have all begun implementing taxes for foreign visitors as a means of dealing with rampant overtourism. It’s only a matter of time before additional landmarks will need to consider designs specifically created to manage the effects of overcrowding.
