The Louvre Raises Ticket Prices for Non-Europeans to Fund Renovations

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, approved raising the entry ticket price for visitors from non-European countries from €22 to €32 (an increase of €10), effective next January. This is roughly equivalent to a jump from $25 to $37.

1. Purpose of the Price Increase

The main objective of the ticket price increase is to help fund the renovation and expansion of the museum's building, particularly after security incidents highlighted its deteriorating condition:

• Renovation Plan: French President Emmanuel Macron announced this measure earlier this year as part of a decade-long plan to renovate and expand the museum.

• Catalytic Incident: The security breaches that allowed the theft of Crown Jewels worth €88 million ($102 million) on October 19th emphasized the urgent need for modernization.

2. Decision Details and Exemptions

• Effective Date: The increase will take effect starting January 14th.

• Affected Category: Citizens from countries outside the European Union will have to pay the extra €10.

• Exemptions: Citizens of countries that are part of the European Economic Area (EEA) will be exempt from the increase. These include:

  • EU member states.

  • Iceland.

  • Liechtenstein.

  • Norway.

3. Visitor Statistics

The Louvre is a major global destination, with non-Europeans accounting for a significant portion of its visitors:

Visitor Statistics (2024)	Figure
Total Visitors	8.7 million visitors
Percentage of Foreign Visitors	77%
Top Visiting Nationality (1)	American citizens (13%)
Top Visiting Nationality (2)	Chinese citizens (6%)
Top Visiting Nationality (3)	British citizens (5%)