First selection of five groups of architects for the future development of the Louvre

Following Emmanuel Macron's announcement at the end of January of a major plan dubbed "New Renaissance of the Louvre," aimed at adapting the museum to accommodate mass attendance, a competition was launched in June to recruit firms responsible for the renovation and adaptation of the premises.

The successful applications are the result of an association between architectural firms and agencies responsible for scenography, museography, landscaping and urban planning.

Among those selected, from more than a hundred applications, several firms and agencies are French, others British, German, American, and Japanese.

The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world with nearly nine million visitors in 2024, 80% of whom will be foreigners, is suffering from dilapidation problems, its director-president Laurence des Cars warned in January.

The extensive plan announced by Emmanuel Macron includes the creation of a new grand entrance, as well as a space dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa. New exhibition spaces are also planned beneath the museum's square courtyard.

It is also a question of responding to the problems of damage in degraded spaces and to the needs in terms of safety and environmental standards, while improving the comfort and quality of protection of the works.

The cost of the project has been estimated at 700 to 800 million euros over ten years, of which only a "very small part" will be financed by the State.

A more expensive entry fee for non-EU foreigners is due to come into effect on 1 January 2026, and from 2031, when the new rooms are scheduled to open, visitors wishing to see the Mona Lisa will have to pay a supplement in addition to the museum entrance fee.