Louvre renovation: Mona Lisa to be placed in new room with Brits set to be charged more to enter - how much is the entry fee?

Delivering a speech in front of Leonardo da Vinci’s 16th century masterpiece, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said he felt “humbled” to be in the presence of the Mona Lisa and announced that the portrait would be given its own “special space” within the Louvre under the new plans. Macron also announced that from 1 January 2026, visitors to the museum from countries outside the EU would pay a higher entrance fee.

Macron said the Mona Lisa’s new spot would be “independently accessible compared to the rest of the museum”, with “its own access pass”. The painting currently hangs behind protective glass in the Louvre’s largest room, which also features 16th century works by Venetian masters.

But overcrowding is a major problem, as visitors try to catch a glimpse of it through a forest of arms holding up mobile phones. The Louvre’s director warned that visiting the overcrowded building had become a “physical ordeal”.

Last year, the Louvre had 8.7 million visitors - more than 75% of them from outside France, mostly from the US and China as well as Italy, the UK, Germany and Spain. Macron said the Louvre aimed to welcome 12 million visitors a year once it had been renovated.

The renovation will take six years and will make room for the huge crowds who now cram inside the palace on the banks of the Seine. A new entrance will make it easier to get in and out.

Entry to the Louvre in Paris in 2025 starts at €22 for a basic ticket. However, there are many other ticket options available, including skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and private tours. It has not yet been confirmed how much the price will go up under the new renovation plans.