Long lines under IM Pei’s glass pyramid in Paris have become part of the experience Mona Lisa itself.
Now the Louvre is putting a higher price on that pilgrimage, raising admission prices on Wednesday for most non-European visitors by nearly half as it tries to save money after repeated strikes, chronic overcrowding — and the heist of the bronze French Crown Jewels that rocked the facility.
The museum said the 45 percent price increase to 32 euros ($51 Cdn), from 22 euros, is part of a national “different pricing” policy announced early last year that will go into effect at all major cultural venues, including the Versailles Palace, Paris Opera and Sainte-Chapelle.
But French trade unions have criticized the Louvre ticket change, saying it undermines the universal mission of the world’s most visited museum – home Venus de Milo as well as The Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Some visitors felt that concern outside the Louvre on Wednesday.
In a heist in broad daylight, thieves use a crane to break into the Louvre museum in Paris and steal precious jewels before fleeing on motorbikes.
“Cultures should be open to everyone – yes – at the same price,” said Laurent Vallet, visiting Paris from Burgundy.
Despite the increase, workers walked out on Monday in the latest strike over wages and working conditions, bringing the museum’s internal crisis back into the public eye.
‘We’re still going’
This change affects visitors from many non-EU countries, including the United States, which accounts for most of the Louvre’s foreign visitors.
Under the new structure, visitors who are not citizens or citizens of the EU – or Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – will pay a higher price.
The new price applies to individual visitors from outside Europe; guided groups will pay 28 euros, and tours will be limited to 20 people “to maintain the quality of the visit,” said the museum.
However, some tourists doubted that it makes sense to charge tourists more. “In general, for tourists, things should be a little cheaper than for locals, because we have to travel to get here,” said Darla Daniela Quiroz, who is visiting Vancouver.
Some say they will pay anyway. “It’s one of the most interesting places here in Paris … we’re still going,” said Allison Moore, a Canadian tourist from Newfoundland visiting with her mother. “I hope everything will be okay in the end.”
The CGT Culture union has criticized the policy, saying it turns cultural access into a “commercial product” and creates unequal access to national heritage.
Some categories remain eligible for free admission, however, including visitors under 18.
The last price increase was in January 2024, when the entry fee increased from 17 euros to 22 euros.
Not just the Mona Lisa
Versailles and other top tourist attractions are also accepting similar prices this month.
At Versailles, a “Passport” ticket will cost 35 euros in high season for visitors from outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, compared to 32 euros for visitors who are citizens or residents of those countries. At Sainte-Chapelle, the ticket goes up to 22 euros for visitors from outside those countries, compared to 16 euros for those inside them, according to heritage officials.
The Louvre said the new prices will help finance investments under the “Louvre – New Renaissance” modernization project and could bring in 20 million euros more per year.
French museums were already considering higher fees for visitors from outside Europe before Oct. 19 theft of the French Crown Jewels from the Louvre, valued by investigators at approximately 88 million euros.
However, the robbery – carried out in broad daylight, in minutes – has intensified scrutiny of how France protects its most precious cultural heritage.
It has also fueled debate over how major landmarks should pay for upgrades and whether tourists should bear a larger share of the cost.
Elsewhere in Europe, general admission to Rome’s Colosseum, along with the Forum and Palatine Hill, is 18 euros ($29 Cdn), and an adult ticket for Athens’ Acropolis is 30 euros ($48 Cdn).
Hit, hit — and hit again
The Louvre has repeatedly been forced to publicly address its internal pressures.
In June, a strike by gallery workers, ticket agents and security staff delayed the museum’s daily opening, leaving thousands of visitors stranded under the tower.
Activists say the Louvre is suffering from under-visitors, citing unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing and deteriorating working conditions.
In December, the unions said that the break-in of the building and the condition of the building had answered their long-standing grievances and made it a national issue. Louvre workers have voted to continue their strike until what they see as real changes to the dilapidated former palace.
