Louvre hikes ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%

Ticket prices for the Louvre museum in Paris will rise by 45% for most non-EU visitors, the museum’s board decided on Thursday.

Starting next year, tourists from countries such as the US, Britain and China will have to pay €32 ($37; £28) to enter the museum, a price increase that is expected to raise millions of euros annually for an overhaul of the famous gallery.

The museum’s security and management have faced criticism since a major robbery in October, when a gang of four stole $102 million (£76 million) worth of jewelery and fled within minutes.

An official audit of the museum, published shortly after the robbery, highlighted the institution’s inadequate security systems and outdated infrastructure.

From January 14, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area – a group that includes EU member states, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein – will pay an extra €10 to enter the world’s most visited museum.

Last year the Louvre welcomed approximately 9 million tourists, most of whom came from abroad. According to the museum, more than a tenth of its visitors are from the US and about 6% are from China.

There have been long-standing calls to address the museum’s capacity to accommodate crowds, with visitors often complaining of overcrowded galleries and long queues.

In January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre announced improvements to the museum, and suggested higher fees for non-EU residents in 2026.

Macron also said that the Mona Lisa would be moved to a new location to deal with overcrowding.

Most of the Louvre’s 30,000 daily visitors come to see Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. Crowds flock to the Salle des États – the gallery where the Mona Lisa is displayed – with each visitor having only a few moments to view and photograph the painting.

The Louvre will also renovate other areas of the museum and add new facilities such as toilets and restaurants – upgrades estimated to cost several hundred million euros.

Earlier this month, the Louvre announced the closure of a gallery displaying Greek ceramics due to structural concerns.

An investigation following the October robbery found that the museum had overspent on purchasing new artefacts, but very little on maintenance and restoration.