Louvre to increase ticket price for visitors from outside the EU

PARIS

Paris' Louvre museum has approved a ticket hike from 22 to 32 euros ($25 to $37) for non-European visitors from January to help finance an overhaul of the building whose degradation has been exposed by the Oct. 19 crown jewels heist.

The measure comes as other major cultural sites across the country, including the Palace of Versailles, are considering similar moves to bring extra money needed for costly maintenance and renovation.

From Jan. 14, 2026, nationals from outside the European Union will have to pay 10 euros ($12) more. The measure was approved last week by the Louvre governing board. Nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, countries that signed up to the European Economic Area agreement, will be exempted from the hike.

The cost for the so-called “Louvre New Renaissance” plan is estimated at up to 800 million euros to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the famed Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031.

Some have argued that such a policy could be counterproductive if it leads to a fall in the number of visitors. But other institutions see it as a potential solution.

“Australians, people from New Zealand, Americans, when they come to see Chambord, sometimes that's once in a lifetime,” director Pierre Dubreuil said. “Paying 20 or 30 euros doesn't change anything.”

Extra fees for international visitors are not unusual in many countries across the world, often driven by the need to increase revenue to match the costs of maintaining heritage sites.