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The Louvre in poor condition? Its president warns about the museum's deterioration

undefined undefined 26 janvier 2025 undefined 09h30

The Editor

© George Wirt - Shutterstock

In a letter sent to the Minister of Culture on January 13th and later revealed to Le Parisien, Laurence des Cars, president of the Louvre, emphasizes the necessity of carrying out extensive work in the world's largest museum. Otherwise, the monument and its artworks could suffer significant damage. 

The Louvre in pitiful condition? Just a week ago, the museum looked more vibrant than ever during the Night of the Fools, a lively event designed to grandly conclude its exhibition on Figures of Madness in Art alongside Zaho de Sagazan, Madame Arthur, and the collective La Horde. However, behind the scenes, things seem much less rosy. Dark, even. So much so that its president, Laurence des Cars, is sounding the alarm in a letter sent in mid-January to Rachida Dati, the Minister of Culture. Several threats could endanger one of the jewels of French heritage. 


Overstressed Buildings 

In this letter, which could be consulted by our colleagues from the Parisien, the president of the Louvre points out various degradations that weaken the very structure of the museum, which covers 72,735 m2. The buildings, “ overstressed ,” are “reaching a worryingly obsolete level ,” she begins to denounce. Then she details her “damages,” her spaces that are “sometimes very degraded,” even “not waterproof anymore,” along with “worrying temperature fluctuations jeopardizing the preservation of the works.”em> » Not only the walls are under threat, but also the treasures they hold. 

One of the reasons for the gradual degradation of the museum? Its attendance. The Grand Louvre envisioned by François Mitterrand in the 1980s is considered « structurally overwhelmed » because it was designed for 4 million visitors a year. However, it has welcomed over ten million before the lockdown, and 8.7 million in 2024. 


Rethinking Visitor Comfort 

And, as Laurence des Cars points out, we need to see how these millions of visitors are welcomed in the various spaces of the building. She doesn't hold back: visiting the Louvre has become a "physical challenge." "Accessing the artworks takes time and isn't always easy. Visitors have no space to take a break. The food options and restrooms are insufficient, falling well below international standards. The signage needs a complete overhaul,” she lists. Nothing works; everything needs to be redone. 

 
Major Construction Planned at the Louvre? 

But then, what solutions are on the table for such a huge undertaking? This issue may be just the beginning.

The worst moment for the government, as the review of the budget bill is still ongoing in the Senate. Funding such projects would be costly, very costly, especially since the budgets allocated to cultural institutions are facing increasingly significant cuts to address the public deficit. Furthermore, the cost of the work has not been specified in the letter: currently, and still according to Le Parisien, discussions are underway between the presidency, the Ministry of Culture, and the Louvre. 

Among the options being considered to rethink the spaces are comprehensive restoration and safety work, the creation of an additional entrance at the eastern end of the palace, or even a new approach to the Mona Lisa in the State Room, which lacks “keys to understanding.”