PARIS, Jan 29 (Bernama-dpa) -- The "Mona Lisa" is to get its own new room at the Louvre art museum in Paris, allowing it to be shown off to even better advantage for visitors, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
The legendary Leonardo da Vinci painting is to be given a room that better reflects its importance as part of an extensive renovation of the museum, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
The Louvre, which is the world's most-visited museum, is also to get a new entrance to better manage the flow of visitors. The existing entrance under the central glass pyramid is to be redesigned and converted into new exhibition halls.
The project is to be implemented by 2031. The cost of the investment is estimated at several million euros. The number of visitors is expected to increase from the current 9 million per year to up to 12 million.
The costs will be financed by the Louvre's own income, donations, and increased entrance fees. From January 2026, non-Europeans will have to pay more to visit the museum, though the amount was not specified.
The Louvre has been drawing attention to its desolate state for several years. Defects include damage caused by water infiltration, outdated technical facilities, and disturbing temperature fluctuations that endanger the preservation of the works of art.
The central entrance under the large glass pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei was first used in 1988 and was designed to cater for four million visitors.
—BERNAMA-dpa
