What happened
French President Emanuel Macron Tuesday announced plans for a major renovation of the Louvre in Paris, the world's most-visited art museum, including moving Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" to a dedicated room, with a separate ticket, in a new part of the museum.
Who said what
The Louvre's last major refresh, in the 1980s, added I.M. Pei's glass pyramid entrance and prepared the museum to accommodate 4 million visitors a year. Last year, 8.7 million people visited the Louvre, most of them standing in long, noisy lines to catch a brief glimpse of — and likely a selfie with — Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile behind her protective glass.
Macron has been seeking a "new cause with which to assure his legacy" since he lost control of parliament last year, the BBC said, and his "much-praised leadership" in rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral "appears to have whetted his appetite for a similar grand projet at the Louvre." At the same time, "concerns about overtourism achieved a critical mass" globally last year, The New York Times said, though "efforts to limit visitors in tourist hot spots have had mixed results, at best."
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What next?
The remodel, slated for completion in 2031, will also add more restrooms and restaurants and a new entrance, at an estimated cost of about $800 million. Visitors from outside the EU will be charged higher entrance fees next year.
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