Big Ticket Price Hike at the Louvre for Non-EU Tourists

Fri Dec 05 2025 12:23:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Starting January 14, 2025, ticket prices for non-EU visitors to the Louvre in Paris will rise by 45% to fund museum upgrades and improve security.

The Louvre Museum is set to increase ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%, raising costs to €32. This change aims to generate up to €20 million each year for renovations and security enhancements following a recent jewelry heist. Beginning January 14, 2025, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area will need to pay the new price, which is projected to help address long-standing issues like overcrowding and aging infrastructure. The museum hosted nearly 9 million visitors last year, with significant numbers from the US and China.

Ticket prices for the Louvre museum in Paris will rise by 45% for most non-European Union visitors, the museum's board decided on Thursday.

From early next year, tourists from countries like the US, UK and China will have to pay €32 ($37; £28) to enter the museum, a price hike which is expected to raise millions of euros annually to fund an overhaul of the famous gallery.

The museum's security and management have faced criticism since a brazen heist in October, when a four-person gang stole jewellery worth $102m (£76m) and fled within minutes.

An official audit of the museum published shortly after the heist highlighted the institution's inadequate security systems and ageing infrastructure.

From 14 January, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area will pay an extra €10 to enter the world's most visited museum.

Non-EU visitors in groups with accredited guides will also have to pay €28 starting next year, the Louvre told the BBC.

The price hike is expected to raise between €15m and €20m each year to support the museum's modernisation plans.

The Louvre received nearly 9 million visitors last year, most of whom were from abroad, with more than a tenth from the US and around 6% from China.

There have been longstanding calls to address the museum's capacity to accommodate crowds, as visitors often complain of congested galleries and long queues.

French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre recently announced improvements, suggesting higher fees for non-EU residents in 2026.

Macron also stated that the Mona Lisa would be moved to a new space to deal with overcrowding.

The Louvre will renovate other areas of the museum and add new amenities like toilets and restaurants, with upgrades projected to cost several hundred million euros.

Earlier this month, the Louvre announced the closure of a gallery showcasing Greek ceramics due to structural concerns.

An investigation after the October heist showed that the museum had spent significantly more on acquiring new artworks than on maintenance and restoration.