ルーブル美術館びじゅつかん、EU域外いきがい訪問者ほうもんしゃの入館料にゅうかんりょうを大幅おおはば引ひき上あげへ

The Louvre Museum, a symbol of tourism in Paris, France, is facing a turbulent decade as it confronts complex challenges such as vulnerabilities in its security system, aging facilities, and an excessive number of visitors.

To raise funds for renovation work that had been delayed for many years, the museum announced that from January 14, 2024, it would significantly increase the admission fee for tourists from outside the EU and Schengen area by 45%, raising it from the current 22 euros about 4,000 yen to 32 euros about 5,900 yen.

Japanese people are also affected by this price increase.

2025 is expected to be a challenging year for the Louvre Museum.

The world-famous museum, which boasts the highest number of visitors in this world, faced many difficulties last year.

For example, in October, a gang of thieves disguised as construction workers broke in using a lift and stole valuable jewels worth 88 million euros approximately 16.2 billion yen in less than eight minutes.

Furthermore, since June, regular strikes by employees have continued to occur due to overwork, worsening working conditions, and concerns about safety.

By the end of November, a serious water leak occurred, damaging over 300 academic journals and scientific materials, further raising concerns about the management of the aging facility.

The French government plans to invest 700 to 800 million euros approximately 130 to 150 billion yen in large-scale museum renovations, and part of the increased revenue from higher admission fees for foreigners will help cover these costs.

According to Frances Le Monde newspaper, 69% of the museums visitors come from outside the EU or the Schengen area, and the additional annual revenue is expected to reach $15 to $20 million approximately 2.4 to 3.1 billion yen.

The Louvre Museum welcomes about 9 million visitors annually, with a constant stream of people coming to admire world-famous artworks such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and enormous diamonds from the Napoleonic era.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum was made available online and attracted 10 million accesses in just 71 days, but the actual number of visitors did not decrease.

In particular, 80% of visitors come just to see the Mona Lisa, resulting in long lines stretching into the corridors and overcrowding becoming a daily occurrence.

Furthermore, the extreme heat caused by climate change is also making the congestion even worse.

The Louvre Museum, a historic building, was not designed to accommodate the large number of visitors or the concentration on specific works as it does today.

This has also been confirmed by research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT.

Researchers are using mobile phone Bluetooth technology to closely examine visitor congestion and movement patterns around famous artworks.

In the upcoming renovation plans, a dedicated exhibition room for the Mona Lisa will be created, and a special entrance will be newly established on the east side near the Seine River.

A separate ticket is required for entry to this special exhibition room, and the ticket price has not yet been determined. The room is scheduled to be completed in 2031.

The Louvre Museum is a symbol not only of Paris, but of all of France.

The origin of the museum dates back to the 12th century, and the basic structure from the medieval period still remains underground today.

The successive kings renovated this fortress into a palace, and by the mid-16th century, it had developed into the center of royal power. However, the royal residence was later moved to the Palace of Versailles.

Furthermore, during the Paris Olympics, a sports event was held at a public gallery under the direction of the famous choreographer Mehdi Kerkouche, followed by a gymnastics class alongside world-renowned works of art.

In this way, the Louvre Museum is not only of historical and cultural value, but also at the center of social and political debates.

In particular, after the theft incident last October, this museum drew attention as the “Louvre in crisis,” prompting criticism of the government by opposition politicians, as well as comments from the museum’s leadership and the Minister of Culture regarding insufficient investment.

As a result, museums became a symbolic stage for the nations financial and cultural policies.

Approximately 73,000 square meters of land houses 35,000 works of art, with the oldest piece dating back over 9,000 years.

If you spend 30 seconds looking at each piece, it would take 100 days to see everything, but in reality, most visitors only stay for 2 to 4 hours.

The record for the fastest passage through the museum is 9 minutes and 14 seconds, set by Swiss artist Beat Lippert in 2010 as part of his own artwork.

With upcoming renovations and the introduction of a new pricing system, the Louvre Museum is expected to become a safer and more comfortable space for both visitors and staff.