The Louvre has raised entry fees for international visitors to €32, a 45pc increase from the previous €22 charge, with the change taking effect this month. The adjustment applies to adults from outside the European Economic Area, including those from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, to finance renovation projects and enhanced security after the theft of the French Crown Jewels last October. European Economic Area citizens and residents continue to pay the standard rate, while free admission remains for those under 18, people with disabilities and their carers, and certain low-income groups.
The museum, home to over 500,000 works including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and pieces by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, attracts millions annually, with visitors from the United States and China forming a substantial portion in recent years. Similar dual-pricing systems operate at sites such as the Taj Mahal in India, Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Pyramids of Giza, though such practices remain less common in Europe outside examples like the Acropolis in Athens and certain Italian museums. Critics argue the increase commercialises cultural heritage with universal value, while supporters point to funding needs for national patrimony.
France’s Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, shared in a written statement “I want visitors from outside the EU to pay more for their entry tickets and for that surcharge to go toward funding the renovation of our national heritage. The French are not meant to pay for everything all by themselves.”
