EXTRA CHARGE TO VIEW MONA LISA
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece has caused quite an uproar as it has been announced that the painting will be moved to a new exhibition space.
The painting, currently hanging inside the famous Louvre in Paris, France will be moved to a new exhibition space and visitors will be charged separately to see it.
This was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron to an audience of dignitaries on Tuesday.
Macron said his New Renaissance project will be introduced by 2031. The project will mean a new section will be added to the Louvre and a second entrance will be used for it. The aim is to relieve the growing pressure of visitor numbers beneath the famous glass Pyramid.
The BBC reports that about three-quarters of the museum’s 30,000 daily visitors go to see Da Vinci’s famous painting, but the experience has become an endurance test, with a constant crowd being funnelled through the Salle des Etats.
On average, every visitor only gets about 50 seconds to view the painting and take photos.
A competition has also been launched for international participants to design the second entrance.
Another aspect that ruffled some feathers is that from January 2026, all non-EU residents will pay more to visit the museum. This includes UK tourists.
Image credit: Sweden Herald