d-kdk

[IN PICTURES] Here’s what the “New Louvre” will look like in five years!

undefined undefined 7 février 2025 undefined 09h30

The Editor

© Shutterstock - saiko3p

New entrance, dedicated spaces for the Mona Lisa: this Tuesday, February 4th, the president of the Louvre, Laurence des Cars, unveiled the first images of the renovation project for the Louvre.

The fate of the Louvre is unfolding at lightning speed and is now being revealed in images. In mid-January, Laurence des Cars, the museum's president, alerted the Ministry of Culture to the alarming state of degradation in which its buildings were, and still are. By the end of the month, Emmanuel Macron stood in front of the Mona Lisa to detail the renovation project aimed at creating a “New Louvre” in an extremely ambitious time frame: five years. Just a few days later, on Tuesday, January 4, the first sketches of the museum were unveiled in a video shared on the Louvre's social media.


A Solemn Presentation 

To embody the teaser, none other than Laurence des Cars herself, whose call for help echoed all the way to the ears of the Élysée. Standing tall, hands tied in front of the Borghese Vase, in the room of the Caryatids, she describes the main projects that will allow the Louvre to shine. Her narrative is interspersed with dynamic 3D models and enriched by epic melodies. A solemn presentation, undertaken with great seriousness. 

To address the challenges of “many” related to the site's attendance, “structurally overwhelmed,” she wrote in January, the president of the Louvre begins by unveiling the new look of the esplanade of the Colonnade.

As Emmanuel Macron mentioned, this will feature new access points that will make entering the Louvre easier and “offer all the services and comfort expected from the largest museum in the world”, clarifies the president of the Louvre. 


Isolate the Mona Lisa for better protection 

The video continues with an aerial view of the model. We discover the backside of the Cour Carrée, which will be enhanced with vast underground spaces by 2031 to ease circulation and provide new independent areas around the remnants of medieval Louvre. In one of these, the iconic Mona Lisa will be highlighted, explains Laurence des Cars.

 : « An ambitious program will come to life there. The Mona Lisa will benefit from a reimagined presentation that matches her fame.»


© Screenshot - Chatillon Architectes / Les Monstres, 2025

In her letter, the president of the Louvre raised the issue of the location of the Mona Lisa. “Elevated to icon status, Mona Lisa has maintained a captivating allure over the decades. As a result of this popular fervor, the public floods in to the Salle des États without being given the keys to understanding the work and the artist, questioning the museum's public service mission ” she stated.

These are legitimate concerns, and the government is listening: as shown in the model, the Mona Lisa will move to a room specially designed in her honor. The flow will be much smoother as visitors will have to pay an additional ticket on top of the entrance fee to admire the masterpiece.

’œuvre of Leonardo da Vinci, as specified by Laurence des Cars on France Inter on Sunday, February 2nd.  


New Entry: Desperately Seeking an Architect  

Behind these first sketches is the prestigious urban planning and architecture firm Chatillon Architectes, already at work on the Grand Palais, the Carnavalet museum, and the restoration of the Luxor obelisk. An international competition will soon take place to select the most qualified architect to create the new grand entrance of the museum at the Perrault colonnade.